NED Kelly, hero or villain?

It is a debate that has continued over the 130 years since the Kelly Gang roamed the countryside and one that divided the nation both before and after Ned's execution in Melbourne in 1880.

• The day Ned came knocking

On one hand you have those who believe Ned and his mates were callous murderers, killing three policemen in cold blood at Stringybark Creek in late 1878.

Others, however, consider them victims of the time.

"You can argue 'til the cows come home," Jerilderie historian and councillor Laurie Henery says.

"To me, you can't condone him for killing policemen, but then you've got to look at who the policemen were.

"As Ned said in his own words, 'If you couldn't make it as a bushranger or an outlaw, well then you joined the police force'."

Laurie said the local magistrate where Ned grew up was a leading squatter who detested the Kelly family.

"So anytime he stood out the front door and didn't see a cow or a horse, it was basically a case of 'the Kellys have knocked it off again'," he said.

"So he would get the police to go and raid them again . . . they were persecuted."

Jerilderie Bakery proprietor Neila Price, asked about her feelings of Ned, said: "People do worse things nowadays than Ned did," she said.

"I had a guy in yesterday saying 'but he was a crook, he was a murderer and all of this' and I said 'Yeah, but so is everyone else that you hear about on the news every night'.

"He's certainly helped this little town."

Royal Mail Hotel publican Larrie James is happy to talk about the gang's impact.

"We get a least a dozen people a day come up and take photos of the pub," he said.

"A lot of people just seem to like Ned Kelly . . . whether he was good or bad. I just leave it up to them to decide."