July 26 - August 1 | 2017
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inside page 7
circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
Sharing the passion By KYLIE WILSON
NED CONNECTION:
Chris Gerrett has worked for many years at Kate’s Cottage in Glenrowan, only metres away from the famous and imposing statue of Ned Kelly. PHOTO: Kylie Wilson
GARDENING WITH
DEBBI
RSPCA
MOVIE
FIZZLES
OF THE APES
WITH
WAR FOR THE PLANET
WINE TALK WITH
ANITA
CHRIS Gerrett has been ensconced in the world of Ned Kelly history for decades. Operating Kate’s Cottage in Glenrowan, literally a stone’s throw from the town’s imposing statue of Ned Kelly, she has seen a range of Kellyrelated works come across her desk, from the rarest of antique volumes to more recent bestselling works. Now on the verge of retiring after more than 40 years in the tourism business, the Wangaratta resident looks back on her decades interacting with Kelly enthusiasts with fondness. Chris has always loved the area and its tourism potential, particularly with Wangaratta being a hub for so many nearby towns. “Glenrowan draws business from all over the world,” she enthused. A born and bred local, Chris has had a fascination with reading, and an interest in the Ned Kelly story and its surrounding history, ever since childhood. She remembers her father telling many “tall tales” about Ned Kelly riding through her family’s paddocks and hiding “booty” there, which, although weren’t true, definitely drew her in. “I’ve grown up with this story,” Chris said. She said over the years people from all walks of life have visited her at Kate’s Cottage in Glenrowan to find a range of Ned Kelly related books, all sharing their passion for the subject. “They have strong opinions about different publications,” Chris said. “It’s just amazing what you come across.” Over time, she has catalogued and written information about all the Ned Kelly related books that she has seen in her work, from the dates of editions to recording inaccurate information in some editions, changes between editions, and much more. The result is a thick volume cataloguing a life’s work. continued page |
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