Ned Kelly & the Kelly Gang
$750.00
When we grew up in the community we watched Western movies – Cowboys and Indians.
The station manager used to put up a movie night for the whole family – he would come down on his motorbike and let people know it’s movie night tonight. There were a lot of stockmen there working, old people who worked on the station. The old people liked the movies because they were like them – riding horses, some of them carrying guns to deal with wild cattle and things that would knock the fences down and stuff.
First time I heard about Ned Kelly was from Slim Dusty. He had a song about him. But hearing music we don’t know if the story talk about something else but even when I grow up I heard more and more stories about him.
I went to school in the 80s. Since growing up I heard a little bit about it, little bit about it until I found out it was a real story.
Then we went across to Tamworth with Barkly Arts and we travelled playing Country Gospel. Somewhere there I saw this little town and Ned Kelly was everywhere in the streets – we thinking “Maybe this is Ned Kelly Country, maybe this is where it happened’’. We saw the little town and there was a statue of a man standing with a helmet and guns and the bins were made to look like helmets and stuff. I’d like to visit that place again, it was nice.
I still like those Western movies today.
Derek Peterson Beasley was born in Ali Curung. The son of established artist, Julie Beasley and the partner of Gladys Lewis, Derek is a proud Wakaya and Alyawarr man who holds strong connection and knowledge of country and the Epenarra community more broadly. Derek began to paint whilst in school, painting ‘’landscapes – whatever I can”. Derek is also a musician.
