jack's hut

This is the snake, with sinuous track, And poisonous fangs and glittering back, Who drank the milk so sweet and white, Within the pan so broad and bright, That was left on the table clean and neat, With its well scoured top and four white feet, That stood in the hut that Jack built.

treasures from the state library of victoria

including ned kelly's armour

Ned Kelly and his gang are Australia's most famous bushrangers. Pursued by police for robbery and murder, Ned Kelly was finally captured after a gun fight with police at Glenrowan. His gang members died during the siege and Kelly himself was later hanged at the Melbourne Gaol on 11 November 1880.

The armour held by the State Library includes Ned Kelly's helmet, backplate, breastplate and shoulderplate. Crudely constructed from parts of ploughs, pieces of leather, and iron bolts, the armour was assembled and tested by the gang in the year before the Glenrowan raid.