This 'White Stuff' was a series of Kelly articles during 2003 on webpage Iron-Outlaw by Dave White.

 

Much has recently been made of metal detecting near the base of a tree (by me), with the objective to help prove or disprove the validity of this particular tree by a group of researchers known as the Kennedy tree Group, that have based their whole Stringy Bark Creek (SBC) - scenario and layout for where they believe the police party had camped. The KTG group were mortified that by such a simple act as raking the leafy forest material to expose the top ground layer for metal detecting, they called it vandalism and I should go to gaol ! The problem it seems has more to do with destroying their faith in their holy tree being the same one as shown in a 1878 photos. Its a bit like recognising a man in the street as being identical to Ned Kelly, so they reckon it must be Ned, - how ridiculous. This article at right, and images below record a rational approach by amateur historians taking on the task to identify historic locations as it's clearly not the duty of the authorities to do so. Please read Dave White's full report by clicking on the image at right.

It needs to be understood that at the time in 2003, it was believed the police camp site was on the East bank of SBC, while the two huts were on the West bank opposite a site erroneously identified by Ian Jones in 1993.


Images below: January 2004.
Stringy Bark Creek hut 2 fireplace, most probably the Shingle hut Ned wrote about in his Jerilderie Letter. Right image: Group detecting fireplace No1, Dave holding crockery chip, while Nicky and Bruce (with detector) look on as Bill examines a molten brass powder flask fragment. Today the fireplaces are still in exactly the same condition having been covered with mesh, all except for the careful metal detecting in the area to secure any easily detected items found awaiting full scale archaeology. 




Image below: July 2004. Gary Dean sits at fireplace No2 - the Shingled hut at SBC. In the foreground a shovel handle marks one of several rubbish pits used by the huts occupants, and some objects un earthed from it. Gary was a training archaeologist, and we had permission from DSE historian to undertake the dig. Gary is custodian of the items dug up.                                                  At Right:  Some of the items detected at this hut site in Oct 2002. Drawings were made of the finds locations, one being half a gun powder flask, other items and melted glass outside the fireplace area, roof wire loops in straight lines on the ground indicate the hut was burnt down either before the police camped there or it was set afire to - by the Kelly gang when they left the scene.  In the White Stuff report I found it interesting Dave mentioned the prospectors who had occupied the huts, one being friend of the Kellys- Walter Lynch, Percy Bromfield and Willie Reynolds who helped find Sergeant Kennedy's body about a week later.  


 

To give you an idea of what the Two Huts site looked like in 2010, compare with Burman photo 138ys earlier.




 Copyright, Ironicon - Two huts at Stringy Bark Creek -  Bill Denheld  10 March 2020