Avenel - VIC

The small town of Avenel is located 127 km north of Melbourne between Seymour and Euroa and just to the west of the Hume Freeway.

The township arose from there being a ford whereby Hughes Creek could be crossed by coaches and livestock. In 1859, after the ford had been replaced with a bridge, the government surveyor marked out the Avenel township. In the following year a hotel and a blacksmith were established. Several small farms were sold by the Crown, an early purchaser being John Kelly. His son Edward, attended the local school and later became known as Ned, the leader of the Kelly outlaw gang.

Avenel is an important footnote in the history of Ned Kelly. When Ned Kelly was captured he was wearing a green sash. The green sash was given to him by the grateful citizenry of Avenel after he saved a young boy from drowning in the local creek. The entire Kelly family moved to Avenel around 1860 and from that point they are woven into the fabric of the life of the town.