The 'box' tracing over the hut pretty well shows the proportion of the floor plan as square. It was not large, 13x13 foot or 4 meters square. Another odd thing to note was the report that some of the logs of the fortified hut had logs up to' 2 foot thick'. No such logs are seen in this photograph of a hut.



The above sketch shows the geometry of both the camera elevation and the hut.

Update, recently it was proven that the 5.5 degrees calculated can be achieved only from the North Western slope that overlooks looks Kellys Ck. This means the photo could only have been taken looking down on the hut from the hill nearby, This does not explain the huge variations of descriptions recorded, nor explain how mature bullet holed gum trees were photographed at around the ' Kelly camp' (see image below), yet this camp was photographed only 5 years after the ground was cleared by the Kellys during 1878. The gum trees photographed are estimated to be 50 cm in diameter suggesting they were at least 100's of years old , and not short term re growth ?

The evidence for two huts

The sawmill site ' hut site' may have been the second hut as referred to by Mr. Perkins and reported in the Mansfield Courier 1894 because he says huts and fireplaces. It is unfortunate Ned made no mention of two huts there.

My research reveals a most convincing argument for 2 HUTS. This comes from G. Wilson Hall's, ' Outlaws of the Wombat Ranges' of 1879 and a report by a Mr. Perkins of the agricultural department. G Wilson Hall states on page 20- ” the gang prepared a log fortress, victualled, properly loopholed and cleared around of all shelter for besiegers, to which they would make their retreat, and sell their lives as dearly as possible. ( this must be the slab hut described by Const James and located near the creek, later the Sawmill site .)

Then on page 21 Hall states-  ” They also constructed a good log hut near the site of their operations, which they fitted up with the ordinary conveniences of bush life, and carefully loopholed in case of an attack”
( this was the existing cabin hut they fixed up and was later photographed in the middle of cleared land. )

The agricultural inspector Mr Perkins noted Mr Stoke's view over the Kelly camp wrote- referring to the huts-  they are in a lane now. Just the remains of the foundations and fireplaces can be seen, and the paddock of about 20 acres can be distinctly traced.

"They are in a lane now" gives us a vital clue. This suggests both huts just happen to be situated along the new lane which runs east - west.

I believe the original log cabin style hut (built by a Canadian prospector) is referred to by Hall as -  "They also constructed a good log hut " was in fact 100 yards from the creek as plotted by the surveyor on the survey map of 1884/5, and as photographed in the clearing from the ridge nearby). The other hut 'fortified' referred to by Const James and Hall  -  ”the gang prepared a log fortress" , was built at their 'operations' referring to both 'gold mining'  and 'illicit whisky distillation' at the creek? ( this meant in case of a siege they had a close water supply)

The implication is this, - the description by Const James does not match the only known picture of a hut . James said the fortified hut had no windows, was of slab and log construction, both of which don't fit the photo description. Who do we believe, James or the picture?  we should believe in both.

But remember, the gang set fire to their hut when they left the area but the fire did not catch. Const James described a fortified hut Nov 1878.
A picture of another hut appears in a series of photos 'Views of Kelly country' but it could well be this hut was not at Bullock Ck at all ? Who would have known ? There were many little cleared farms in the bush with huts placed within?

However assuming there were two huts at Bullock Creek, there is still a problem with dates. We know the Kelly camp photo (below) was taken before 1883 because that's when the Ewan Tolmie died and the family left the area for good. The only photo of a complete hut  was allegedly taken around 1880 just after Ned was hanged. It shows no hedge rows of wood stacked for burning as described by Const James. So, in the intervening years it is possible fire destroyed the hedge rows and the log cabin hut, leaving only the remains of the fortified hut with bullock sculls and stuff to be photographed by the Tolmie work party just prior to 1883.

One interesting note I wish to make is that Bill Stewart stated his father had said the four corner posts were still standing when Billy was still a small boy.  If this log cabin hut stood at the sawmill site, ' there may NOT have been corner posts  in a cross over log cabin because log cabins don't have corner posts? conclusion or confusion ? as a child of six, Billy may not have remember if the hut was here or there, but he knew exactly where the sawmill had stood because at 19 years of age he helped build the sawmill at Kellys Creek.

This amazingly photo (below) of the 'Kelly camp' was taken as one of a series by a riding party that worked for Mr.Tolmie of Dueran Station. It shows what remains of the Kelly hut at that time prior 1883. Note; a post still standing and a squared off timber on the ground. The bullock skulls were remnants left behind by the hut occupants and bones were numerous, it was written. You can see a close up of a bullet holed skull at story 10.

I do believe the Kelly hut as described by Const James, was at this site above, this hut had no windows, only one door, logs said to be 2 foot thick, it may have had corner posts being slab built, it had a steel plate door,  had  loop holes to shoot through in all directions, but it may not be the hut shown below.  Notice the mature trees in close proximity to the hut remains, yet in the picture below it appears all trees close were removed.?

This hut had a chimney that had caught fire, but this hut survived due to rain. The ground was cleared  all around consistent with a survey map of 1884 (which clearly shows a marked hut about 100 yards from the creek as ruined?)

The sawmill and Kelly hut site is right on the southern bank of the creek, it certainly is not 100 yards from it. If this was the hut marked on the map, then which hut was it that the Tolmie working party photographed shortly after the hut was destroyed? These are vexing questions.

Update 20 March 2005; For the first time in 100 years, land allotment survey plans dated 1904 have been found which show the exact location of the Kelly Hut on a road reserve and a Kelly target tree that served as a corner post of the block. This historic information came to light only recently when historian Fay Johnson found the files at the public records office.  See Sheila Hutchinson and Fay Johnson's web page story Valid Links with the past  click here

With Global Positioning System, GPS accuracy we can now locate the sites on the ground. For all those interested, on Saturday 19 March 05 Sheila Hutchinson and Bill Denheld lead an enthusiastic Mansfield Historical Society group on a tour to the sites and to check the hut location according to the maps by GPS co-ordinates. The result was found to be within 3 meters, and astonished all.

The Kelly Hut on Bullocks Creek was first posted 18 July 2003 updated 13 March 2006




The Kelly Creek Kelly tree.

A large tree stood nearby which was used as target practice by the Kellys. It stood to the right of the above picture, and Bill Stewart told me it was standing when he worked at the sawmill in 1930's. It was known as the Kelly target tree (at Kellys Ck). Bill showed me the remains of that tree lying rotting in the creek. April 1985. ( It lay there till I instigated its removal for preservation Jan 2004. It was taken out thanks to  'Parks Victoria' and  'Bells' earth moving contractors Mansfield )

I wondered if there maybe a photo of the Mc.Cashneys sawmill around. Sheila Hutchinson told me she had a friend, Charlie Engelke in W.A. who's father had worked as engineer at the mill. Generously he sent me his photo collection and I found what I believe is a photo of the Kellys Creek sawmill with the Kelly tree nearby. This was indeed an exceptionally lucky find.

This picture below is believed to show the Kelly tree at Kellys Creek.  Circa 1930's

Snow covered sawdust heaps was the reason for the photo.

1956 This log was the Kelly Target tree after it was dropped. Most of the wood was taken away for either firewood or furniture making since it has famous connections. Bob McPherson pictured, although co-incidentally having the same name as the title land owner adjoining the site, is thought not to be related. ( The caption on the reverse states he was just a visitor to the site, however, the fact his name did 'not ring a bell with caption writer Harry Engelke', is understandable as McPherson's lived on the adjoining block some 50 years earlier.)  1985 Bill Stewart left and The Age newspaper writer John Lahey in September 1985 watching Alan McMillan run the detector over the Kelly target tree. Alan is standing on the target tree log now lying in the creek. ( Unfortunately the log is barely visible in this cropped print.) Bill Stewart 81 told me ( some 6 months earlier at the site ) that he recalled how as a six year old in 1909, his father would take him and visitors to the Kelly camp and pretend to cut bullets from the Kelly target tree. The photograph was taken by and courtesy of Graeme Stoney who was co-owner of the Mansfield Courier. Dec 2003 Above; Pictured left, Dept. of Sustainability&Environment 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, the remains of a giant peppermint gum scared by eons of time, shot at, chopped at and the tree even served as a subdivision survey marker, finally dropped down for either firewood or curio during the forties. The unwanted end  lay rotting in the creek  for sixty odd years and had become an attraction for hundreds of visitors to the Kelly camp site on Kellys Creek. Unfortunately, the  fire prone site and fragile wood became easy pickings to saw yielding Kelly enthusiasts. With a direct connection to the Kellys occupation and their friends predating  the Stringybark shootings of October 1878, the log had to be saved. 18 January 2004 Below, The recovered remains of the Kelly target tree. At left, Mansfield Historical Society historian Sheila Hutchinson, Kelly historian Dave White, Kelly researchers Bruce Johnson and Nicole Jones, and at right Joe Hutchinson. The Kelly target tree remains will be preserved for eventual display at the new proposed Ned Kelly Centre at Glenrowan.  In the interim period it may be displayed by the Mansfield Historical Society.  Any suggestions welcome. All pictures shown with permission.  Copyright ,,   no text or images may be reproduced without written permission from the author Bill Denheld.  Copyright Contact bill at denheldid dot com direct for feedback or comment.