BanksiaMan

By BanksiaMan

Ned letterbox

On a rural back-road near here, I came across a mailbox depicting Australian legend Ned Kelly. For those not familiar with Australian 19th century history and folk-lore, Ned Kelly was a bushranger (ie highwayman, outlaw, bandit). He led a gang of violent outlaws, committed armed robberies and killed several police.  He leaves a complex legacy, which Wikipedia summarises here:

Historian Geoffrey Serle called Kelly and his gang "the last expression of the lawless frontier in what was becoming a highly organised and educated society, the last protest of the mighty bush now tethered with iron rails to Melbourne and the world". In the century after his death, Kelly became a cultural icon, inspiring numerous works in the arts and popular culture, and is the subject of more biographies than any other Australian. Kelly continues to cause division in his homeland: some celebrate him as Australia's equivalent of Robin Hood, while others regard him as a murderous villain undeserving of his folk hero status.

Comments
Sign in or get an account to comment.