Mansfield, Vic

Day 2 Tuesday 11/2/2025 Mansfield, warm sunny 14 – 29

Woody is off into town to buy fresh bread for breakfast before I’ve even woken up. Mid-morning we take a lazy stroll admiring the houses and gardens. I buy a shirt from RB Sellars. I love their clothing as it is reasonably priced, it’s perfect for the outdoors, and never ever wears out.

In the heart of town there’s a large memorial in the centre of the roundabout. It honours the 3 police officers who were killed by the Kelly Gang at Stringybark Creek 39kms north of Mansfield, in Oct 1878. Whilst searching for the notorious bushrangers Sergeant Michael Kennedy, Constable Thomas Lonigan & Constable Michael Scanlan were gunned down. Though unarmed, Constable Thomas McIntyre managed to escape and return on foot to raise the alarm in Mansfield*.

It was proclaimed that the Kelly gang should report to the Mansfield Courthouse by November 12^th1878. Failing to appear meant that they would be declared outlaws. Not surprisingly the gang failed to appear at the courthouse and were deemed by law as ‘Outlaws’. The gang went on to terrorise North Eastern Victoria and the Riverina region of NSW for another two years until the final siege at Glenrowan in 1880. Ned Kelly was hanged in Melbourne in 1880.

After all that history, we cook local lamb cutlets on the BBQ with a salad.

Note: *‘Ned Kelly’ by Peter Fitzsimons and National Museum Australia.

Accom: $40.00