Why not?
The new millennium witnessed a boom in the interest of Ned and his Gang. In Sydney, hundreds of Nolan’s Kellys ran around the main arena at the Olympic Opening Ceremony. A few months later, world-renowned author Peter Carey shot to number one here in Australia with his best-selling fiction title True History of the Kelly Gang — notice I put the word fiction in bold letters because it is fiction, dear people. Fast forward three years, and we saw Heath Ledger don the famous armour in a movie adaptation of the very ordinary book Our Sunshine. The movie may be factually flawed, but its big-name actors did manage to mask many of the book’s low points. And the legend of Ned Kelly continues to grow.
Ned and the boys may have departed this earth nearly one hundred and forty years ago, but in any given week in any major newspaper, you can read a story about the Kelly Gang. Now more than ever, we’re bombarded with new exhibitions, talk of new documentaries, movies, television shows, websites, forums, novelty shops, books, music, and auction houses flogging off anything — and nothing — to do with the Kelly legend. So, you try to seek guidance, but where do you start? In early 1995, when the Internet was still in its infancy, I started searching for information on Ned Kelly. I found a poorly designed shambles — even for back then. Then and there, I decided to start my site. Hundreds of hours, three URL changes (www.netspace.net.au/~bradwebb, then www.ncs.net.au/nedkelly, and finally www.ironoutlaw.com), and six total site rebuilds later, the result is now sitting in front of you. At last count, this website weighed in at over ninety megabytes with over 210 pages, 1000 asset files, 20000 links, and an average of over eight and a half million hits a year.
The photo right is of myself and my sister standing next to some dodgy armour at one of the numerous Kelly museums around Benalla in the mid-70s.
Ian Jones tells how, as a boy of ten, he was first introduced to the legend of Ned through reading J.J. Kenneally’s The Inner History of the Kelly Gang. I was eight when I first went to Glenrowan, but unlike Ian, it took me a few more years to realise what impact Ned had made on the Australian psyche. Ian didn’t have cartoons and LEGO to distract him back in 1940. Still, I always had a fascination for all things Australian. When other kids were watching Mickey Mouse, I was reading Blinky Bill. My GI Joe was dressed in Kelly armour that I’d made out of toilet rolls, sewn with black cotton and coloured in with grey Texta. Today, I run a publishing studio, and during my spare time, when I’m not sleeping, I’m building this website. Sure, there have been countless books, reviews, films and discussions stemming from the infamous uprising, but they have never been placed into one easy-to-access online reference until now. History has always fascinated me, mainly Australian history. This website complements my thirst for knowledge, allowing me to share my passion with like-minded souls.
My Kelly Connection
Ask any Australian (or, for that matter, any Kelly buff the world over), and they will tell you a story about their great grandparents riding shotgun for the Kelly Gang or feeding their horses, hiding them in their cellar, etc. – take your pick, the lists can go on for ages! Well, not to be outdone, I have a tenuous link to the legends of homemade armour. Yes, my father’s mother (i.e. my grandmother) came from a small country town in Victoria called Violet Town, situated right there in the thick of things at Kelly Country.
Before packing up all their belongings (including the children) and embarking on the long journey to Melbourne (by horse and cart after the Great War), the Radbourne family had been store owners. It seems great-great-grandfather had supplied Ned and his fellow band of merry men various goods during their time on the run. However, I did get the impression he was not too happy with these customers. Still, he held the local constabulary in lower regard and seeing Ned paid his way, he continued to serve him. So there you have it, my Kelly connection. Although everyone involved in this story is dead, you will have to take my word for it.
Aims and Ideals
Start searching the net to find information on this icon of Australian history, and you’ll discover a mismatch of poorly constructed and thought-out websites and forums. All these sites seem to do is add to the confusion. Ironoutlaw.com aims to attempt to list every critical event linked to the Kelly Gang and, in doing so, hopefully, open up some relevant topics for discussion in the feedback section. If it is not here, you will at least find a link. And my reward? Aside from showcasing my company’s HTML talent, the hundreds of emails I receive worldwide are payment enough. You would be surprised at some countries where our Ned has been recognised!
Selling Out?
Today, it seems, Mr Edward Kelly can be seen everywhere, from tea towels and coffee mugs to port bottles and snow cones. Even the Simpsons couldn’t resist the temptation of dressing Homer up as our most famous outlaw. Booker prize winner Peter Carey has made a ‘zillion’ dollars from selling a well-worked piece of fiction called The True History of the Kelly Gang and yet even more dollars on selling the movie rights to Hollywood.
As far as a ‘true history’ is concerned, Ned never had the time to settle down and spawn a child in his short life. This is something that Carey chose to ignore because, after all, adding a few false characters is bound to enhance the story. That it did, to the detriment of historical fact. But this is a piece of fiction, bringing Ned to the world’s attention. So, it is full marks from a public relations point of view, and I must admit, for a work of fiction, it is a bloody good read!
Half of writing history is hiding the truth.
Josh Weldon
Ned’s image has become one with Australia. The 2000 Sydney Olympic Games opening ceremony was a case in point. While many see this as blatant consumerism, we would like to take a different approach. Surely, Ned would get a big kick from knowing his face is as recognisable now as ever. In stark contrast, the bronzed head of Sir Redmond Barry, the judge that sentenced him to death, has metal spikes inserted in the top to stop the pigeons from shitting on his skull. His statue stands ignominiously outside the State Library of Victoria. Such is life!
About the Author
In 1995, Brad Webb launched IronOutlaw.com, the world’s largest website on Ned Kelly. Brad has spoken about the Kelly legend on television, radio, and print. In 2017, New Holland published Brad’s novel Ned Kelly: The Iron Outlaw. Brad has held academic positions at James Cook University, RMIT’s School of Advertising, and Ducere Global Business School. He was a senior lecturer and subject coordinator for the Bachelor of Writing and Publishing at Melbourne Polytechnic for over seven years. Brad holds a Master of Publishing and Editing from Monash University and is currently researching his PhD through Edith Cowan University on Australian stock characters and archetypes via his exegesis From Folk to Super Hero: Ned Kelly’s Remarkable Mythology, which Trojan Press has optioned to publish upon completion. Brad is a lecturer and subject coordinator at the Academy of Interactive Technology’s (AIT) Melbourne campus.
Acknowledgements
This website is full of images and quotes borrowed from various sources dating back to IronOutlaw.com’s inception in March 1995. I must thank several individuals and organisations who have loaned me the use of multiple items for display in this virtual museum. Most are probably not aware of their generosity. Still, I feel they should be formally acknowledged for their contributions to the Ironoutlaw: Max Brown, Chester Eagle, Ian Jones, Bronwyn Binns, Keith McMenomy, Nicky Cowie, Angie Baron, The State Library of Victoria, The Public Records Office of Victoria, Ben Collins, Ellen Hollow, Dave Fagan, Matthew Deller, Brendan Pearse, Paul O’Keefe, Noeleen Lloyd, Lola Rowe, Noelene and Eric Allen, Michele Eve, Airi Repetti, Alan Crichton, Nick Hawtin, Paul Terry, Judith and Eric Douthie, ‘Captain Jack Hoyle (retired)’ and the extended Kelly clan.
Happy surfing,
Brad Webb
brad.webb@ncs.net.au