DESIGNING A GATEWAY TO THE LAST STAND

The Ned Kelly Discovery Hub is an immersive cultural heritage centre that marks the site of the notorious siege and tells the story of Ned Kelly’s last stand.

STORYTELLING WITHOUT ARTEFACTS

Although Glenrowan is inextricably linked in Australia’s cultural imagination with Ned Kelly’s Last Stand, much of the original context no longer exists. The railway station where the police disembarked and advanced on the gang, the inn where the bushrangers held out, the tavern where Kelly sympathisers gathered, even the iconic armour worn by the Kelly gang had either been replaced, demolished, burnt down or removed.

WE STARTED WITH THE HELMET

The structure’s twisted helices and distinctive form acknowledge the iconic armour worn by the Kelly gang. Sectioned timber cladding provides the flexibility needed to work and adapt to the structure’s complex geometry on site.

Content Studio worked closely with Webb Consult and steel designers, PlanIT design group, to resolve the building’s three different pitches: a small helix above a medium helix above a large helix. They used sectioned timber cladding to create a curved façade around the helices of the steel frame.

The complex geometric form, achieved through a structural steel frame and flexible timber construction, sets a new benchmark for design excellence in Victoria.

THE STORY IN CONTEXT

The building’s circular form houses an interpretive centre, which provides a contemporary presentation of the events of the siege. Convergence Design used a range of interpretative techniques to tell the story of Ned Kelly and give visibility to some of the other people involved: the hostages, the police, and the Kelly sympathisers. A curved staircase follows the line of one of the helices, taking visitors to a circular viewing platform where a rondel with a cast bronze map acts as a compass to key staging points of the siege.

A MAGNET FOR COMMUNITY AND TOURISM

Between November 2023 and April 2024, the Hub welcomed over 35,377 visitors, underscoring its success as a significant cultural and educational destination and the enduring public interest in the Kelly story. The Hub has become a catalyst for regional tourism, demonstrating the potential of cultural heritage sites to drive economic prosperity.

The Hub's reach extends beyond individual visitors, serving as a vibrant educational resource for the broader community.

It has become an educational destination for school groups, some of which hail from as far as Sydney and Melbourne. The Hub provides a dynamic learning environment for students, allowing them to explore the nuances of Ned Kelly's story and its significance to Australian history. Through interactive exhibits and storytelling techniques, students gain a deeper understanding of historical events, critical thinking, and cultural heritage value.

View the Glenrowan Ned Kelly Project page >

AWARDS

Finalist, Architectural Design, 2024 Victorian Primer's Design Awards

Overall & Regional Design Winner, 2024 Lysaght Interpretations Design Awards