BIG NED

The History of 'Big Ned'...

The Big Ned statue, undisputedly the most photographed object in the
district, stands tall and defiant on the corner of Gladstone and Kate's
Street in Glenrowan (in front of the post office). Chris & Rod Gerrett,
proprietors of Kate's Cottage Gift & Souvenir Shop, commissioned the
statue asking for one "befitting a national legend." Big Ned was made
by special effects technician Kevin Thomas at Proto Patterns, in the
Sydney suburb of Ingleburn. At 6 metres high and 1 1/2 tonnes, the
fibreglass composite was too big for his usual workshop (an absolute
fantasy-world in itself) and a larger shed to do the 4 months' worth of
work in had to be hired.
"Ned's" arrival from Sydney was an event in itself. On the back of a
truck Ned travelled with rifle pointing to the sky creating quite a
spectacle on the long 11 hour trip. Photographed by travelers and the
media from far and wide he appeared on the front page of the Melbourne
"Herald Sun." Hauled into place by a large crane on 14/4/1992, his
every move was a photo opportunity.
In a country full of "big" things, Big Ned still holds his own 12
years on. Considered kitschy by some and just great by others, Glenrowan
would not be the same without him. A hearty thanks to the Gerretts and
their big vision!
An afterthought, the statue depicts Ned with a revolver on his right hip
but holding a rifle in his left hand, begging the question: "was he
right or left-handed" ? History suggests that he was actually
right-handed but was so severely wounded in that arm that it was
completely disabled forcing him to resort to using his left.
Thanks to Chris Gerrett for her invaluable assistance and kind help in
supplying the background information on the history of Big Ned, and
to Sharon Hollingsworth for her editing once again.

Thank you to Rod & Chris Gerrett for the images above.

Big Ned was paid for and provided by the operators of Kate's Cottage Chris and Rod Gerrett.
Chris said to me once, "that's my kitchen standing there", meaning that she could have had a new
kitchen for the price of Big Ned.

TEXT ON THE BASE OF NED.

At the base of Big Ned there is a section of text written by Ian Jones from the mini series
'The Last Outlaw' and the words "This structure donated by R & C Gerrett of Kate's Cottage with
additional generous donations from Bill and Ruby Gerrett".

Ned Kelly- Hanged a murderer in Melbourne, November 11,1880 - not 26 years old -
described as a rebel, bushranger by necessity, a bush battler, underdog, sometimes
gentleman, sometimes larrikin and a man with a strong sense of family.

In a country born of brutal convict settlement, the Kellys were one of many to suffer the
English notions of class destruction , property and land tenure and Anglo-Irish hatreds. With
the continued persecution of his family by the Police Ned fought back, donning his
armour made from plough mould-boards here at Glenrowan, June 1880, made Ned Kelly an
Australian Legend.

"He has lost much blood and gone two nights without sleep, he is borne down by the weight
of armour. The air is still, the earth icy, the mists of dawn just hang. This is the moment of
history. Kelly might have escaped here. Having witnessed the death of Joe Byrne from a
massive haemorrhage from a bullet to the groin - most men would have given up here, if not
before. Instead Kelly went back to rescue his brother and Steve Hart.

Armed, he lurches through the mist, hulking, swaying, clanging, taunting - the legend is
born.

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