Newstory:Kelly Gang Armor Found

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Tests begin on possible Kelly Gang armour relic

Testing is under way on a metal relic believed to be a part of Kelly Gang armour.

The relic was found in Beechworth's Woolshed Valley in Victoria's north-east in September by a local historian.

Heritage Victoria's Jeremy Smith says the tests will compare the relic with the suit of armour worn by bushranger Joe Byrne.

"Because we believe the piece that's been found at Beechworth may in fact have originally been from the same set of metal, we would expect to find that the metallographic identity would be very similar, so we should get pretty definitive results from the testing," he said.

Results will be known by the end of this month.

Mr Smith says if the connection is proven, the Woolshed Valley site will become very significant.

"I think it's exciting work, potentially an archaeological excavation perhaps over the next month or two," he said.

"In some ways I think the site really is more significant, more important than the object and so there are challenges there in the way that we look after the place."

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