Sub Treasury Building
(Former Beechworth Police Station)
Information Pack
‘Here is the stuff of history…fragments of a life that has fascinated Australians and also fragments of
that life’s impact on the Australian imagination’.
Ian Jones, Kelly Biographer
Love him or loathe him, Ned Kelly is an icon of Australian history, art, film and popular culture. His
turbulently short life story has resonated down the decades like no other Australian saga. His
armour is regarded as being so significant to Australia that is not permitted to leave our shores.
Through the years, Kelly has inspired an almost endless parade of actors, painters, authors, singers,
filmmakers, historians and showmen.
There are also many places tourists can stop and discover bits and pieces of the Ned Kelly story, but
in the 130 odd years since Ned died there has never been a place with a nationally significant
collection dedicated solely to telling his story in a dynamic manner to modern museum standards.
Given Kelly’s status as arguably the most famous Australian ever, it’s almost inconceivable that such
an iconic Australian story has never had it’s own keeping place or museum. In Kelly Country, the
story has been fragmented and underestimated. Ned Kelly is everywhere, yet he is nowhere - until
now: The Burke Museum, Beechworth, under the auspices of Indigo Shire Council; are creating the
Ned Kelly Vault – official home of the Ned Kelly story.
Much of the Kelly saga unfolded in the streets and in the ranges of Beechworth. Widely regarded as
Australia’s best preserved gold era town, Beechworth boasts and authenticity and a sense of magic
that transcends time and links the past to the present.
The Ned Kelly Vault will boast four rooms and a vault full of authentic, unique and priceless items
that relate directly to the Kelly story, the period in which Kelly lived, and help explain the steady
advance of Kelly into a major historical figure and an icon of Australian popular culture.
Opening in 2014, the museum is the work of museums and private collectors, historians, authors,
collection managers and curators. This will be the definitive Ned Kelly Museum; the one-stop place
for Ned Kelly history, artefacts and information.
In an unprecedented movement of cooperation and generosity, the Ned Kelly Vault will showcase
the largest private Kelly collection in the world, (some items have previously been displayed in
blockbuster exhibitions in Melbourne) which will be combined with the Kelly collection from the
Burke Museum, as well as other items on short and long-term loan, from other private
collectors/owners and public institutions.
The Ned Kelly vault will also enjoy the support of many families touched by the tragic events from
both sides of the Kelly Outbreak of 1878-1880 and beyond.
The Ned Kelly Vault will occupy the 1856 building known as the Sub Treasury – a building used for
storing gold in the 1850’s.
It is a thick granite bricked building with iron bars on all its windows – it is a strong-hold of
extraordinary capacity. Located in the heart of the nationally significant Beechworth Heritage
Precinct, the museum is within a few metres of the Beechworth Court House – arguably the most
significant Kelly building to survive, due to it’s links with the saga and to so many of the people
intimately involved with it. It is also the same court in which Ned appeared on many occasions, most
famously for his own preliminary hearing following the siege in Glenrowan in 1880.
Current usage: Sub Treasury usage is for displays on mining & policing
The Beechworth Gold Office and Sub-Treasury is located in Ford Street and is one of the most
significant buildings within the Beechworth Historic Precinct. Beechworth's Gold Office and SubTreasury was constructed in 1858 by contractors Martell and Rogers at a total cost of 892 pounds.
The building was expanded in 1861 by contractors Dalrymple and Simmie to include an additional
two offices and a strongroom at a cost of 525 pounds.
1856
Worked under the Gold Warden to handle &
Prepare gold for the 2 weekly escorts to
Melbourne.
1855
April & March 1857 Bank of New South Wales
purchased over 300,000 ounces
1857
Addition added at rear 2 offices and a strong
room, barred windows and a massive gold vault –
stronghold for the precious metal.
1880’s
Sub-treasury became the Beechworth Police
Station
1997
The Police Station shifted to a new Police Station
around the corner, opposite Prison
It is currently in use as an exhibition space housing a Display of Police Memorabilia covering the
history of policing in Beechworth and the Goldfields. The Sub Treasury is currently open for viewing
via swipe card access, swipe cards are available through purchasing a Golden Ticket or a
Burke Museum/ Courthouse combined pass.
Kelly collection
The Ned Kelly vault will be home to a combined Kelly collection of immense value and visitor appeal.
The collection includes priceless items from the Kelly story itself, the period in which Kelly lived, and
items from a vast collection of Kellyana (including rare books, pamphlets, film and music
memorabilia).
It is also envisaged other smaller private collections will be shown from time to time, as well as key
Kelly items from major public collections.
The Burke Museum Kelly collection is on show at the Burke Museum. It contains:
The most accurate reconstructions of the four suits of Kelly armour.
Aaron Sherritt’s granite doorstep, which marked the exact site of his murder
Various firearms from the Kelly period
Documents including Telegrams, letters, etc
An original £8000 reward notice from 1879.
Japanese suit of Armour (also part of Chinese Collection), which has been a part of the Burke
Museum collection since 1874 and which Kelly biographer Ian Jones believes helped inspire the
design of the famous Kelly Gang armour
Miscellaneous artefacts and photographs.
The Death mask of Ned Kelly, made immediately after Kelly’s execution in November 1880.
Significantly, the Burke Museum Kelly collection will be relocated to the Ned Kelly Vault and will
substantially add to an already immensely valuable and unique collection of treasures.
Loans
Potential loaners are encouraged to support the Ned Kelly Vault by making donations or long term
loans to the Burke Museum, Beechworth. (All loans require Collection staff assessments, insurance,
paper work and this can be costly and time consuming, therefore short-term loans will not be
considered).
Operations
The Burke Museum is financially supported by the Indigo Shire Council, A Section 86 Committee
oversee the operations of the museum and heritage precinct.
The Burke Museum is managed by a fulltime manager: Patrick Watt, a qualified teacher and museum
worker, having worked at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, Scienceworks Museum and Museum Victoria and
the National Sports Museum, Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Private owners/collectors will be represented by project founder and co-curator, Matt Shore, who
has painstakingly catalogued the collection for over 12 years. Matt also curated major Kelly
exhibitions in Melbourne and is the proprietor of Ned Kelly Adventure Tours and School Camps.
The Collections manager is Linda Peacock – awarded the best museum worker in Victoria in 2012.
Collections assistance is provided by Simone Nolan (one day a week) and by three volunteers.
The Museum also employs front of house staff at the museum and the Court House –their role is to
meet and greet visitors, sell tickets and merchandise and other tasks as required by the manager.
Also part of the team there are four tours guides who deliver two tours per day: the morning tour is
about Beechworth (The Echoes of History walking tour) and the afternoon tour focuses on Ned Kelly.
The Ned Kelly Vault
Work is currently being undertaken to improve the paint work, lighting and security.
With labour and direct cost, the Burke Museum has invested about $40 000 into the project.
Security consists of:
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60cm thick granite walls and iron bar windows.
Museum approved door locks
Motion sensors in every room connected to a 24 hour security company who can respond to
alarms within minutes.
The building is adjacent to the Beechworth Police Station.
The building has security lighting inside and out.
There are video cameras in every room that film when motion sensor activated and every
movement is recorded.
During opening hours a staff member will always be onsite as well as being supervised by
the front of house manager in the Court House and by staff in the Visitor Information
Centre.
Unique Attraction
A unique aspect of the Vault will be to install a Peppers Ghost - a type of video display that uses
‘smoke & mirrors’ to create an almost 3 dimensional figure – turning an actor into the young Ned
Kelly. Ned will be quoting himself with lines recorded at his trial in Melbourne in 1880. This will be in
addition to a strikingly real ‘recreation’ of 19-year-old Ned posing for his famous ‘boxing’ photograph
in 1874.
Making a loan or donation
If you are interested in making a loan please contact Patrick Watt, Manager of the Burke Museum.
The museum is only interested in authentic documents, objects and require – where applicable,
proof that the object is authentic.
The museum may not be able to take some objects because of mould, insect infestation, health and
safety, size etc. the museum can advise where you may be able to get some objects conserved (not
repaired, but brought into a safe and stable condition. Conservation can be expensive and the
museum would not be able to do this on behalf of the owners.
Loan forms are provided in duplicate and also registered with the Council.
Patrick Watt
Manager of Burke Museum & Historic Precinct
Loch Street
Beechworth
Victoria
Ph: 03 57288069
Mob: 0400 558 866
E: patrick.watt@indigoshire.vic.gov.au
Communication
All loaners and donors will be kept up to date with happenings in the museums through a quarterly
newsletter. Loaners and donors will also be invited to specific museum functions, openings etc.
Volunteers
The Ned Kelly Vault will require an entry ticket to the Burke Museum. Ticket sales will not be made
at the Ned Kelly Vault. Volunteers will man the museum between 11am and 4pm every day. Loaners
and Donors can request private access at other times.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer – showing visitors around the museum and discussing
various aspects of the Kelly Story, then please contact Patrick.
Official Opening
The Ned Kelly Vault will be officially opened in August 2014 at the Ned Kelly Weekend.
Media
After August a strong advertising campaign will commence with local media outlets as well as
national outlets in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Patrick Watt will be the first point of contact
for any related media. Patrick Watt, Matt Shore and Ian Jones will be spokespeople for the museum.
A media release is planned for Friday 9 May.