Main story, Two huts
at Stringybark Creek INTRODUCTION

two huts
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 Bill Denheld,
 Kelly researcher .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   
  

   
 

Stringybark Creek Newsupdates  

13 May 2008,
During a tour and visit of Stringybark Creek and Kellys creek, Heritage Victoria archeologist Jeremy Smith said the site nominations will be included in the Victorian Heritage inventory. This will ensure permanent protection of the sites. The old fireplaces of two huts built by the first lease holders Heap and Grice in 1848 will undergo archaeological investigation, as one of the fireplaces belonged to the Shingle Hut that Ned Kelly referred to in his Jerilderie Letter of 1879.
 

22 March 2008
Sheila Hutchinson reports-
 Benalla Rural City Council have secured $50,000 from the State Fire Recovery Fund to upgrade the SBC Recreation Area. DSE and the Council will be working together to improve visitor facilities and upgrade the site. The project will also include rehabilitation work to repair the damage caused by the bush fires.
A Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) made up of representatives of historical, indigenous, community groups and tour operators have also been invited to participate in this project.


November 2004
Kelly Ck track closure not good enough for elderly and disabled.

 This was the entrance to the Kellys Creek sawmill track 1930s. Before that, circa 1890's it was the road that lead to Stokes's and Mc Crum's place. On this road track stood the Kelly hut and camp of 1878. This track entrance is just 300 metres north of Stringybark Creek road turnoff.


The bulldozed obstacles about 2 meters high are to stop vehicular access to the Kelly site camp site at the end of the track. A two foot diameter log sits on top for good measure. Three such mounds have been placed further up along the track suggesting permanent closure. Why would this be so? What is there at the end of the tracks that you are not to drive to? It is hoped the mounds will be removed  considering this track access allows many elderly and disabled people into the otherwise in-accessible Kelly sites. The closure is an appalling oversight on part of DSE management with Mansfield taking part in the Ned Kelly Touring Route trail. You could drive an ordinary sedan well past the halfway mark along the 1.2 km track. Now, only sure footed pedestrian traffic are able to get in, - the blackberries have taken over not only the track but the historic Kelly camp as well. This single track entrance also accessed German Creek site along a left fork to where Sergeant Kennedy was killed by the Kellys.
It would be good to have the track opened so all those interested can have access to our history. Bill Denheld

5 May 2004 Heritage Victoria

Heritage Victoria Site Protection Notice.

NOMINATION OF KELLYS CREEK AND STRINGYBARK CREEK near Toombullup to THE VICTORIAN HERITAGE REGISTER.

 As of 5 May 2004, Bill Denheld has nominated these Kelly sites to Heritage Victoria for possible inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register and / or on the Victorian Heritage Inventory.
Under the terms of the Heritage Act 1995 it is an offence to disturb an historical archaeological site unless consent has been obtained from the executive director of Heritage Victoria. Further archaeological work at these sites is planned under guidance of the Heritage Victoria.

Please be aware that the disturbance of an archaeological site, and the collection of artefacts, constitutes an offence under the act.
Stringybark and Kellys Creeks are managed by Parks Victoria, under guidance of the Dept of Sustainability and Environment D.SE formally known as Dept. Natural Resources and Environment D.NRE.

With high community ' Kelly' interest, it should be commended that six local government municipalities are currently developing the Ned Kelly Touring Route.
A recently circulated community update May 2004 ) states;

" The route will intrinsically link the key 'Kelly sites' in North Eastern Victoria and Southern Riverina with an appropriate brochure/map and to install high quality interpretive signage at relevant sites to allow visitors the opportunity to gain a greater insight into the Kelly legend." 

These tourist developments, will direct visitors to the very places where all visitors want to be, where it actually happened ,  including - Kellys, Stringybark and German's Creek, for it was from here the gang evolved.

 Given that we are faced with deciding how to protect the past and important historic places with many thousands of visitors coming to Stringybark Creek annually there is a need to plan for future generations. Just how this should be done requires much foresight and determination right now, not when its too late. Unfortunately as can be demonstrated, it was time to instigate Heritage nomination and recently the removal of the Kelly tree log for safe keeping. 

We are very fortunate that for the best part these actual terrains of the Kelly story are still much as they always have been, undeveloped, and hope it remains that way. We must all tread carefully to avoid destruction of what we came to see.
It is therefore the duty of each and every visitor to leave these places exactly as we found them.

Remember, Stringybark Creek is sacred ground, when there - respect the past for the future.

Bill Denheld

PS, Do you have a point of view on these matters? Please let me know.
 

27 January 2004 The stump of the Kelly target tree

It has been known for generations that a portion of a Kelly target tree lay in the creek rotting. Over a twenty year period it had become very fragile and the next bushfire would certainly have been the end of it. That would be very unfortunate and a great loss, but when visitors actually start sawing off pieces, we need to draw the line. I first saw the log when well known local historian ' Mr. Bill Stewart' pointed it out to me in 1985. Being the only tree log stump with a direct connection to the Kelly gang and at great risk of being lost forever, I initiated its removal for preservation.


Dec 2003
Pictured left, D.SE historian Daniel Catrice and myself at the Kelly target tree log. I had first seen the log as fully round  that you could stand high upon. It is now a mere shell, a giant peppermint gum scared by eons of time, shot at and chopped finally to be dropped for either firewood or curio.


18 January 2004
Left, At the depot we examine the remains of the Kelly target tree. The removal was the instigation of myself (at left ) seen here with Mansfield Historical Society historian Sheila Hutchinson, Kelly historian Dave White, Kelly researchers Nicole Jones, and Bruce Johnson at right. Photo, Joe Hutchinson.

 
Being the last Kelly relic with direct connections to the Kelly* gang's shooting practices prior to the shootout with the police at Stringybark Creek in 1878, the tree stood  within a stones throw from the Kelly hut and like other trees nearby were the brunt of thousands of rounds fired to improve their shooting accuracy.
The relic will eventually go on display at the new proposed 15 million dollar Ned Kelly Visitor Centre at Glenrowan when it gets built.

The tree was still standing up to 60 years after the police shootings while even a sawmill was operating there, they did not touch it. During the 1940's the tree was dropped and large parts were cut from the giant log. Chainsaw marks are testimony to that.

The tree relic is to be kept in a safe place till an interim public display place can be decided upon.

Note, * The Kelly Gang did not evolve till after the shoot out with the police at Stringybark Creek. Before that event the Kelly brothers were only wanted men. Ned and Dan Kelly with their friends practiced their shooting accuracy at the Kelly camp on Bullock Creek, and this tree fragment was one of their target trees. 

Bill Denheld 27 January 2004

 Many thanks to Parks Victoria, D.SE, and Bells Earth Moving of Mansfield for removal of the tree log.  ________________________

May 2003 Meeting called by D.S.E
During May 2003 Bill Denheld was asked by the Dept of Sustainability and Environment to call a meeting regarding the status of the Stringybark Creek Police camp and Kellys camp site at Kellys creek.

All interested parties are invited to be present including the responsible authorities.
Invited to attend were,
Sheila Hutchinson, Bob Bretherton, Gary Dean, Matt Shore, Brad Web, Brendan Pearce, Dave White, Ben Collins, Marian & Peter Matta, and from D.S.E, David Hurley, Terry Kingston, David Wells, and the historical officer for D.S.E, Daniel Catrice.
Each was asked to nominate invitees and advise on a management plan.
 
Objectives,
To put in place a protection plan for both S/Bark and Kellys Ck.
The NRE needed to know where the historically important sites were for proper management and to avoid burning those by mistake.
 
Meeting outcome. Undergrowth to be cleaned up by work parties. No marking of original sites to be done until after a proper archeological study has been carried out. The sites are to be recommended to Heritage Victoria as historical sites worthy of preservation under the Heritage Act.
Note: Those that did not attend the meeting were,
Matt Shore,  Brad Web,  Brendan Pearce,  Dave White,  Ben Collins.