Explore Glenrowan Victoria

Glenrowan ~ Victoria

Glenrowan is a quaint tourist town nestled in Victoria's High Country, 236 kilometres northeast of Melbourne.

Glenrowan is synonymous with Ned Kelly, Australia's most notorious outlaw. The town is the site of the infamous last stand of the Kelly Gang in 1880, a pivotal event in Australian history.

The story of Ned Kelly is preserved in the township's tourist attractions, murals, museums, and historic walk.

During our visit to Glenrowan, we wandered around town, visited the Ned Kelly Museum, explored the Ned Kelly Discovery Hub and discovered the heritage siege precinct.

Glenrowan was established as a township in the late 1860s and was named after farmers James and George Rowan, who had farms in the area. The township grew as more farmers moved into the area, and the railway station opened in 1874.

Today, Glenrowan has cafes, a bakery, a traditional hotel, a providore and other shops to browse in.

Near the Post Office, you can see the current Big Ned Kelly, a six-metre-high statue of Ned Kelly as he appeared when he was captured in his unique armour and holding his rifle. The first Big Ned Kelly statue in Glenrowan was stolen and dumped in the river.

We then browsed in the Mt Morgan Store, which houses a unique collection of old wares and collectables, you can even dress up and have an old-time photo here.

Kates Cottage and the Ned Kelly Museum

Kates Cottage and the Ned Kelly Museum are open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Wander through Kates Cottage Gift and Souvenir Shop, then step into the Ned Kelly Museum. The story of Ned Kelly unfolds as you follow the interpretive display through the museum. 

See genuine artifacts, articles, and original photos from the Kelly era, spanning from the early 1840s to the early 1940s. After looking through the museum, we stepped outside to see the Kelly Homestead.

This is a replica of Kelly's Homestead that was originally located at Gretta West. It features original items that belonged to the Kellys, donated by the family.

The walls and roof are lined with newspaper, hessian and calico, and the bark roof always leaked. Conditions were rough, and life was harsh; the furniture in the cottage is typical of this era. 

You can also visit Kellyland, which regularly features a show that re-enacts Ned Kelly’s last stand using animatronics and special effects. The show runs for 40 minutes, and there is also a museum to browse in. 

Ned Kelly Discovery Hub

The Ned Kelly Discovery Hub is an architecturally designed rotunda and viewing platform, which also houses the Visitor Centre.

Inside, you can learn more about Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang through interactive exhibits, static displays and movies.

Then wander up the stairs to the viewing platform that has a unique vantage point, where you can see the locations that played a pivotal role in Ned Kelly's final stand.

Glenrowan Heritage Precinct

At the Glenrowan Heritage Precinct, we explored the 7 key sites of Ned Kelly’s final siege.

The introduction and map can be found outside the Ned Kelly Discovery Hub.

Then you can walk or drive over the bridge to the first site. Each signpost has information about the site and the events that happened, and an arrow to the next site.

Site 1 is where Ann Jones’ Glenrowan Inn was situated. 

Site 2 is the Police Shelter Site

Site 3 is the Gravel Contractors Encampment.

Site 4 is where Ned Kelly was captured on 28th June 1880. You can also see the Old Police Station and Lock Up here.

Site 5 is where Kelly sheltered in a copse of trees.

Site 6 is where the original Railway Station was situated, now you can see a replica of the original building.

Site 7 is back across the bridge and is the site of the Original Railway Tavern.