'It's incredible - they've done the story proud', says Kelly Gang descendant

There are myths and there are legends about Ned Kelly and his infamous exploits.

But at the heart of every tale, tall or true, are "real people", says Kelly Gang descendant Noeleen Lloyd.

People who lived, loved, breathed and died.

For Noeleen, 57, and her dad Ken, 85, it's all still "so close".

The great grand-niece of Kelly Gang member Steve Hart admits she was overcome with emotion last week during a preview tour of a new exhibition opening at the Beechworth Courthouse on Monday, April 29.

The new exhibition, which combines state-of-the art projection technology and traditional museum displays, artefacts and storytelling, explores Ned Kelly's committal hearing and touches on the 40-plus trials that took place around the time of the Kelly outbreak (1878-1880).

For Noeleen and her dear dad - the grandson of Tom Lloyd (often regarded as the 5^th member of the Kelly Gang) who married Hart's younger sister Racheal - the tour experience was incredibly moving.

"It was so emotional for both of us, especially Dad seeing his grandfather up on the wall and knowing where he and others sat," Noeleen says.

"This was the first time he had been in the courthouse."

Noeleen spent two years working with the exhibition team to provide critical insights into a story she is "deeply connected with" - input that went far beyond fact-checking, says Indigo council's tourism manager Susannah Doyle.

Together with police historian Ralph Stavely, the pair were a wealth of historical knowledge that would prove essential in the development of the authentic exhibition content, she said.

"I am proud to have worked on this," says Noeleen.

"The story of the courthouse has been put front and centre and the Kelly trials used to showcase it.

"It's world class and I have been to many other museums and exhibits in the UK and Europe.

"It's incredible - they have done the story proud."

And that's no mean feat when you consider "there are so many players in the Kelly story", according to Noeleen.

"It doesn't just focus on Ned ... there's a broader brush," she explains.

"People will finally get to see the trials in a very well-rounded and balanced way.

"And that includes the story of policing and what it was like to live in a frontier town."

In this Ralph's input was invaluable - "his knowledge of the Victorian police system and history is incredible", Noeleen enthuses.

"What we really wanted to do was shift the narrative away from emotional and provocative language to respectful truth-telling using the language of the day, the documents of the day and primary sources," she states.

"It's not about whether Ned was a hero or a villain.

"We just need to tell the story and let the words and actions speak for themselves."

Sadly, there's still so much myth and inaccuracy around Ned Kelly, according to Noeleen.

And a lot of polarising viewpoints.

"What's difficult is when people say your family are murdering scums; even contemporary books have said that," she remarks.

"I like to remind people that there are myths and legends but the story and the people are not - they are real people.

"I'm 57, my dad is 85 and has a memory of Jim Kelly and a strong memory of Racheal Hart, who didn't die until 1958 (when Ken was 19 years old).

"When you think about it, that's not so long ago ... and they're still family."

An asbestos "curve-ball" in November 2023 put a temporary halt to the project and delayed the official opening until this month.

Noeleen says the finished product is worth waiting for.

She praised the careful restoration that has "maintained the courthouse integrity inside" while restoring the building to its "glory days".

The scope of collaboration, between Indigo council and the Victorian government, involved heritage advisors, legal historians, Friends of the Courthouse representatives as well as local community and Bourke Museum staff.

Ms Doyle said there had also been ongoing consultation with Heritage Victoria and international discussions with The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin.

The result is "an immersive experience that puts the people into the story", according to Noeleen.

"One of the key components is the conservation and restoration of the courthouse - and that absolutely needed to happen," she says.

"I know it was a concern to the townspeople and broader community ...

"But then it's also about "being able to let the courthouse tell its story".

Noeleen describes the storyboards and displays as "outstanding"; the judge's chambers a particularly powerful experience.

"I love the library and, importantly, that the sympathiser arrests and remands are highlighted; it was amazing to show Dad the original ledger on display."

Noeleen - who insists she's not an "expert" but "I'm an expert on my own family" - believes this exhibition will have universal appeal, from eight-year-olds to 80-year-olds.

"At its heart," she says, "it's really a family history story that has become a part of Australian and world history.

"It's not about whether you agree or disagree ... we just have to share it."