MURRAY RIVER DISTRICT, VIC/NSW. — On Monday, November 4, 1878, police patrols were increased along the Murray River, as the ‘Kelly Gang’ had been reported in the Chiltern area. However, the gang remained at large, even managing to rob the National Bank in the Victorian town of Euroa of about 2000 pounds early in December 1877.
Following a series of robberies in 1878, police hunts for the Kelly Gang intensified. Whilst attempting to track down the gang, three policemen were murdered at Stringybark Creek on October 25, 1878.
The ruthless killing of Constable Lonigan, Sergeant Michael Kennedy and Mounted Constable Michael Scanlon resulted in the Kelly Gang being declared outlaws.
Two hundred police were brought into the area, while Aboriginal troopers with tracking skills were “brought down” [kidnapped/stolen] from Queensland.
Ned Kelly was Australia’s most famous bushranger and was born in December 1854 in Beveridge, Victoria.
Kelly was twelve when his father died, and he was subsequently required to leave school to take on the new position as head of the family. Shortly after this, the Kellys moved to Glenrowan.
As a teenager, Ned became involved in petty crimes, regularly targeting wealthy landowners.
He gradually progressed to crimes of increasing seriousness and violence, including bank robbery and murder, soon becoming a wanted man, together with the members of his gang, his brother Dan, Joe Byrne and Steve Hart.
