Ned Kelly’s remains finally to be laid to rest

Attorney-General Robert Clark today announced that a new exhumation licence has been issued to enable the remains of Ned Kelly to be returned to his family’s descendants and laid to rest.

The Victorian Coalition Government announced last September that the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) has successfully identified the remains of Ned Kelly.

The remains will now be returned to the Kelly family, who will undertake a burial at a time and place of their choosing.

Great grand-daughter of Ned Kelly’s sister Kate Kelly, Ellen Hollow, welcomed the announcement.

“Both the Kelly and King families are glad to have matters resolved and to be granted the variation to the Exhumation Licence to have Ned’s final wish granted,”

“We thank VIFM, the Attorney General and Heritage Victoria for their support during this process,”

“The Kelly family will now make arrangements for Ned’s final burial. We also appeal to the person who has the skull in their possession to return it to VIFM, so that when the time comes for Ned to be laid to rest his remains can be complete,” Ms Hollow said.

The Kelly family has indicated that the remains will be buried privately. It is now a decision for the family to determine the burial arrangements. The Coalition Government asks all interested parties to respect their request for privacy.