A couple of weeks ago the Beechworth Historical Re-enactment Group announced they were looking for a new “Ned”. The person who grew a big bushy beard and played this central role in the recent Ned Kelly Weekend had decided he didn’t want to do it again, so they were advertising for a new volunteer to step forward.
And then to my complete surprise, after their AGM last Monday they announced, as in a death notice that – “with much sadness” – they’ve abandoned plans to hold the Ned Kelly Weekend in 2016. This ends a 13 year-long run of the annual event, and though they say they are just having a break for a year, its pretty obvious they are fed up with doing Ned Kelly re-enactments and want to get on and do other stuff.
“Its time too get get back to our roots and reenact all aspects of the 1880’s and not just the Kelly story which has dominated our group for the past few years”
This is really quite a significant change and shows that interest in Ned Kelly Mythology is shrinking even in Kelly country. One presumes the visitor numbers are down – because if the thing was booming everyone would be happy – and clearly theirs having a real struggle finding anyone interested enough in the Kelly myth to donate the time and effort to help them run the NKW.
On the NKF and IronOutlaw Facebook pages comments on the decision reveal that there have been “shitfights” going on among the organisers and wanna-be organisers, and a feeling that in recent years the whole thing has been a bit lacklustre. This is what the Ned Kelly Forum key master wrote about it :
“yes people this is the politics of our Ned Kelly world at its worst. This is a disgrace and those individuals who were a part in doing this ought to be ashamed of themselves and all will be made public very soon”
I hope he is feeling ashamed of his own role in this – last year the NKF offended the NKW organisers by putting on a show of their own on the same weekend and just up the road, so they could take advantage of the hard work the NKW people had done in organising their event and attracting the crowds. This year it was announced on the IO Faceboook page that they were all “back in love” having somehow patched up the relationship between the two groups but I suspect its all gone sour again. Given what I have seen of the way Kelly Fanatics behave towards people who have different opinions to their own, I am not surprised the NKW people have decided to abandon the whole thing. They are probably trying to rid themselves of kelly bullies who tried to dominate their organisation and compel it to present Kelly as a hero and a saint.
So this is a step in the right direction, a step away from re-enacting myth and pretending its history, perhaps towards a more honest presentation of Kelly country history in the future, one that acknowledges other views of Ned Kelly. Ive noted that the Ned Kelly Vault pointedly states at the very top of its Facebook page “We are not a shrine we are a museum”
It will be interesting to see if the NKF Keymaster makes good on his claim that “all will be made public very soon”. – in other words he wants to air all the dirty linen. In my experience the loud mouths on NKF are all talk and no action.
I wish the Beechworth Historical re-enactment Group all the best for the future and congratulate them on this bold move, putting the Kelly fanatics in their place.
The tide has clearly turned and is now running out on Kelly Mythology.
APOLOGY TO NKF : the announcement about being “back in Love” was made on the IronOutlaw Facebook Page, not the NKF Facebook Page as I originally mistakenly wrote. I was informed of this in an anonymous comment which I won’t publish but I apologise to the NKF for this error. I do note however that the person they described as “matchmaker” was a prominent NKF Member, the self described “Neducator” whose talk created all the acrimony when the NKF promoted it in competition with the NKW.
And, incidentally I couldnt help noticing tonight that the NKF Key Master has quietly deleted from yesterdays Post his claim that “all will be made Public very soon” This was what I predicted yesterday from the kelly loud mouths – all talk and no action. I wonder who told him to pull his head in?
APOLOGY TO NKF : the announcement about being “back in Love” was made on the IronOutlaw Facebook Page, not the NKF Facebook Page as I originally mistakenly wrote. I was informed of this in an anonymous comment which I won’t publish but I apologise to the NKF for this error. I do note however that the person they described as “matchmaker” was a prominent NKF Member, the self described “Neducator” whose talk created all the acrimony when the NKF promoted it in competition with the NKW.
And, incidentally I couldnt help noticing tonight that the NKF Key Master has quietly deleted from yesterdays Post his claim that “all will be made Public very soon” This was what I predicted yesterday from the kelly loud mouths – all talk and no action. I wonder who told him to pull his head in?
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My bet is that 2016 NKWE will be held at Eldorado, lorded by Neducator and others.
The bad relations between NKF and BHRG, Laura M, Kitty, and others, further brroke down because of artistic squabbles and jealousies, petty hatreds and mutual contempt. Where to go from there?
Does NKW have any future at all?
Once again, we see posts from people who are too scared or too dumb to identify themselves. I for one will be sorry the Kelly Weekend seems to have died a death. I enjoyed them and appreciated all the hard work that went in. It was a great chance too to catch up with everyone. If they are not careful though, Benalla will steal Beechworths thunder. .
Once again,Mark Perry is granny whining about who's who.How do we even know you are THE one and only real Mark Perry?
Give it a break.Even Dee uses a nickname and said anyone else can do the same also.So please just stay on topic thanks.
The Kelly freaks are relentless about identity. They want an ordered world while supporting cop killers, thieves and thugs.
Its way too bizarre for me. Ned was an redneck a___hole who was a total tool.
Mark has absolutely no idea about the people who are not registered here and whether they are real or not. The point has often been made that noone in their right mind would properly identify themselves – look what happened to the Denhelds, the Macfarlanes and many others who became known to the Kelly renegade sub-humans.
I agree with Mork.
Mark, just pull your head in! In the nicest way, of course.
And remember this in future discourse.
Dear Mork. F ck you. Love Mark.
Hi Julian. Thanks for your feedback.
I am no Kelly freak. (but I don't blame you for thinking that.) I am a Kelly enthusiast. I am the shades of grey bloke. I don't think what I said really warrants me having to "pull my head in" as I just really lamented the loss of the Kelly Weekend. I did enjoy them. I am not relentless about identity either. I just believe in putting your money where your mouth is and standing up. It probably wasn't great I told Mork to f off though so apologies "Mork.
The way people address each other here behind anonymity leaves a lot to be desired. . Stand Up. What is so hard about that? I properly identify myself. And I am in my right mind. Not obsessive, not a criminal worshipper. It's an interesting story. That's all. I don't have a suit of Armour in my house, nor am I part of the Ned Tatoo brigade. The Kelly Outbreak is one of our most colourful bits of history. Doesn't make me a "fanatic" to use a word Dee is fond of using…Anyway, apologies if I have unhinged anyone on here or even Dee herself/himself.
No Mark you haven't unhinged me. I've never regarded you as a fanatic and I appreciate all your inputs. And you are right the outbreak is indeed one of Australia's "most colourful bits of history". I'll probably be posting a new blog tomorrow, more on The Last Outlaw. so we can move on – as you encouraged me to once before!
I did indeed use those very words Dee. And yes we can.
P.S. Be nice to The Last Outlaw. It's a product of it's time and the best we have had on the box or cinema. Ian Jones and Bronwyn Binns did a fantastic job in my opinion, considering what they had to work with. . Back when "the world was slower, harsher, pleasanter"….
Dear Mark. No thanks. Love Mork.
Ian Jones had access to all the original Kelly archival documents at PROV and its predecessor long ago. His duplicity in presenting his facts was alarming then and now. It wasn't a "fantastic job" at all . It was about gilding the Legend. He is still doing it.
The Eureka Stockade had several dozen far more deserving national icons than the cop killing Kelly Gang of criminals.
If the diggers had worn medieval armour they would be better remembered as big stars today.
(Mark still wants to know identities. I am posting under my own name even though there is no way of proving my identity on this site without joining. He will have to take this on board).
Victoria sent its warship HMCSS Victoria to the Firat Taranaki War in NZ in 1860, where it landed a Naval Brigade that served with distinction at several major engagements. This was the first Australian unit to serve in a foreign war as peacekeepers, and the first Australian ship to enter an operational battle area. I find this a much more thrilling and heroic story than the tawdry Kelly tale of police murders, and a whole range of lesser crimes.
This morning I notice that the announcement about the demise of the NKW has been removed from the NKW Facebook Page, along with 30 or so comments! You can still read it on the NKF and IO Facebook pages but it would seem the “polities of our Ned Kelly world at its worst” is still at play! God only knows what will happen next!
Tonight I read on the NKF Facebook Page that Trent is determined to do everything he can to trash the BHRG, the organisers of the Ned Kelly Weekend. He writes "STAY TUNED AS THIS IS AND THEM ARE ALL GOING TO BE EXPOSED” By acting like this he is proving they were right to try to rid themselves of the thugs and bullies from the NKF, and make them even more determined NOT to ever re-enact Ned Kelly rubbish in the future. So keep it up Trent! Wreck the joint mate! You’ll feel better for it I am sure…..
What? The key master is at it again? Will he ever really say what he's been threatening to all year? Does anyone even care? I think the answer to both is a very loud NO. Who knows what is going on with the BHRG,from the effort they put on this year their decision not to continue running the NKW is an even louder GOOD RIDDANCE.
Their highlights this year were a couple of old tired looking farts who played Steve Hart and Aaron Sherritt in TLO.I mean who cares? The only one from TLO anyone was interested in seeing was John Jarratt and even he came up with a meek excuse not to attend.Even duller were the 'HUGE ANNOUNCEMENTS' which turned out to be a replica helmet worn by Heath Ledger and some old scribble painting by Sidney Nolan.Are they serious? No wonder they have chucked it in.
Cupid has only made all this personal because the BHRG wouldn't let his girlfriend continue playing Kate Kelly and he was given a pass over too for looking too old to play a gang member.Give it up Trent.You and the BHRG deserve each other.
KITTY WAS A VERY KOOL kATE.
Comments have all been deleted yet again at the NKF facebook.What is the key master up to?
Trent is more tiresome than Mad Mick Fitzy.
Kitty was a teensy bit ordinany in my humble opinion.
Motormouth T wanted to get the 'Dummy' Wright part, but Mick by popular acclaim got the role instead.
There weren't any rave reviews about the bloke who played Joe Byrne at the 2015 NKWE. Go figure.
In-fighting and back-stabbing is continuing amongst the Kelly sympathisers down Beechworth way, as a huge series of Posts and Comments have just been censored from the NKW Facebook Page. At their AGM in September they announced the end of the Ned Kelly Weekend, and the NKF and others announced they weren’t going to have anything to do with the BHRG as long as certain people remained associated with it, then a few weeks later someone dressed up as Harry Power announced there was going to be a SPECIAL General Meeting to review the whole thing and now its all disappeared. Twice it was announced that all would be revealed but as usual this proved to be hot air. My guess is the attempted Coup by kelly fanatics has failed and the BHRG are tidying up. What next I wonder? An announcement that theyre back in love? An unplanned pregnancy and shotgun wedding? Or the details of a bitter divorce? We watch with baited breath….