Ned Kelly’s Marlo Cottage, 1874

Marlo Cottage, its name in ruby-red leadlight above the front door, has sat proudly in the heart of historic Beechworth since 1874. If walls could talk, the cottage would tell many an interesting tale about its guests during the gold rush boom. Photographer James E. Bray lived here and ran a thriving photography studio. It was in Marlo Cottage’s upstairs room where the now-famous, private portraits of the Ned Kelly Gang were taken. Bray was also employed by the local police to capture the Ned Kelly siege at Glenrowan, on June 28th 1880.

Hosts Andrew & Jackie are proud of the cottage’s history and in each room, you’ll find vintage pieces and photographs of the Ned Kelly Gang, evoking an atmosphere of times past. Charming period details were carefully preserved during the restoration, including high ceilings, original floors and windows, ornate fireplaces, and coloured leadlight.

These days, Marlo Cottage offers fully self-contained, luxurious accommodation, with three queen bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Each bedroom has beautiful bed linen & antique furniture, and there’s a deep bath from which you can lie back and watch the stars of an evening.

In the cosy lounge, select a vintage book from shelf, light the fire and unwind in comfortable leather chairs with a glass of wine. The modern kitchen has everything you need to cook if you wish, or simply wander up the main street of Beechworth with cafes, restaurants and wine bars on your doorstep.

If you need to work, high speed WiFi is complimentary, and there’s adjacent free street parking, secure off-street bike storage and bike racks, so you can bring your bikes to explore the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail.

Ned Kelly’s Marlo Cottage is an important part of Australia’s built heritage. With its fascinating connections to our gold rush and bushranger history, this is a remarkable and memorable historic stay.