Glenrowan Heritage Precinct loses court bid to stop Beaconsfield Parade rail bridge upgrade
Ned Kelly’s great grand-niece says the decision to develop at the site of the outlaw’s famous last stand was “insulting” and would “destroy” Australia’s heritage and history.
Victoria
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Ned Kelly’s great grand-niece has claimed a new development at the site of the outlaw’s famous last stand would “destroy” Australia’s heritage and history.
Following a failed court bid to save the Glenrowan Heritage Precinct from a new rail bridge and tower, fourth generation Kelly descendant and Ned Kelly Centre founding director Joanne Griffiths said the decision to build at the historic site was “insulting”.
“This is one of the worst desecrations and destructions of one of the most iconic historically significant heritage sites in Australian history,” Ms Griffiths said.
“Australian heritage deserves to be protected and I think the Australian public deserves better.
“This is about the future generations learning our history and I find it very upsetting that we’re not protecting and caring for our heritage.”
The eight-hectare Glenrowan Heritage Precinct includes the site of the infamous last stand, where bushranger Ned Kelly was finally captured by police.
The existing Beaconsfield Parade rail bridge – which runs through the heritage precinct – will be upgraded by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) to rise nine metres above the tracks.
Wangaratta Council is also set to build a new visitor centre, which includes a viewing platform “tower”, near the precinct.
Ms Griffiths said the proposed tower resembled a “toilet”, adding the elevated rail bridge would “overshadow” the site.
An Australian Rail Track Corporation spokesman said the Glenrowan Bridge works were being “conducted in accordance with the Heritage Permit, Heritage Management Plan and Archaeology Plan as approved by Heritage Victoria”.
“The Glenrowan Bridge works do not impact the area’s history, and the design and construction of the Glenrowan Bridge have taken into account the significance of the area and have adopted mitigation strategies to ensure the lowest impact possible,” he said.
The Ned Kelly Centre took the matter to the Supreme Court this month, seeking an injunction against the ARTC, the City of Wangaratta and Heritage Victoria in a bid to stop the projects.
It argued Heritage Victoria “failed to take into account the human rights of the cultural group of Kelly family descendants most heavily affected” and claimed the permit for the rail bridge was “invalid”.
Justice Richards rejected the Centre’s application for an injunction on July 24 and said the Centre “does not itself have human rights”.
Justice Richards said there was “no evidence that the Ned Kelly Centre represents a cultural group whose right to enjoy their culture is engaged by Heritage Victoria’s decisions to grant the Tower permit and the Bridge permit’.
Ms Griffiths said the Centre would be appealing the decision.
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