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Until the deaths of four police officers on a Melbourne freeway this week the worst day in the history of the Victorian force was more than 140 years ago.

On October 26, 1878 the Kelly Gang ruthlessly shot dead three policemen who had been hunting for them at Stringybark Creek in the state's north-east.

Ned Kelly is portrayed by some as an an Australian folk hero unjustly persecuted by police but to others he is best remembered as a cold-blooded cop killer.

Before Stringybark Creek, Kelly and his brother Dan were local scoundrels in Victoria's Greta district, wanted for the attempted murder of a policeman who had come to their home.

They only became infamous when their gang shot dead Sergeant Michael Kennedy and Constables Michael Scanlan and Thomas Lonigan in a brief, one-sided gunfight. 

There had been no greater loss of life suffered by Victoria Police in one event until a truck ploughed into four officers on the Eastern Freeway at Kew on Wednesday night. 

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Ned Kelly and his gang shot dead three police officers at Stringybark Creek in Victoria's north-east on October 26, 1878. That was the single worst day in Victoria Police history until four officers were killed in Melbourne on Wednesday night by a runaway truck

Sergeant Michael Kennedy (left) was born in Tonaghmore, Ireland. The 36-year-old had five children when he was murdered by the Kelly Gang. Constable Michael Scanlan, 34, was born in Foosa, Ireland. Scanlan (right) did not have any family in Australia

Constable Thomas McIntyre, 32, was born in Belfast, Ireland. McIntyre (left) was the only one of the four police to come back from Stringybark Creek. Constable Thomas Lonigan, 34, was born in Sligo, Ireland. Lonigan (right) had four children

Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Constable Glen Humphris, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Josh Prestney were all killed in the crash. 

The officers had pulled over Porsche-driving mortgage broker Richard Pusey when the truck, with Mohinder Singh Bajwa at the wheel, mowed them down.

Detectives have yet to interview Mr Bajwa, who is under police guard in hospital. It appeared he had suffered some sort of medical episode.

Pusey, who fled the accident scene, has been charged with offences including reckless conduct endangering life, failing to remain after a drug test and drug possession. If convicted the 41-year-old could face 10 years in jail.

After Stringybark Creek the Kellys and their friends Steve Hart and Joe Byrne were declared outlaws with a £2,500 reward on their heads and could lawfully be shot by anyone on sight.

Ned Kelly was the third of eight children born to poor Irish parents and by age 23 had minor convictions for offences including assault and receiving a stolen horse.

By age 25 he would be known nationwide and dead - hanged after a siege with police during which he and his fellow gang members donned makeshift suits of armour.

Kelly's rise to infamy and eventual downfall can be traced to a night on the drink when he encountered one of the officers he would murder at Stringybark Creek. 

One of two police cars crushed by a truck in Melbourne on Wednesday night is taken away from the scene where four officers died. A Porsche was also destroyed in the collision

Richard Pusey, who fled Wednesday's fatal accident scene, has been hit with a string of charges including reckless conduct endangering life, failing to remain after a drug test and drug possession. The 41-year-old could face 10 years in jail

The police officers killed in Wednesday's crash were (left to right): Constable Glen Humphris, Senior Constable Kevin King, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Joshua Prestney

Heavilly intoxicated at Benalla on September 18, 1877, Kelly was arrested and locked up for the night. 

The next day he absconded from the custody of four policeman and sought shelter in a shoemaker's shop.

Four officers including Constable Thomas Lonigan attempted to arrest Kelly and during a struggle Kelly's trousers were ripped off. Lonigan grabbed and squeezed Kelly's testicles before he could be handcuffed.

A miller who walked in during Kelly's arrest told the police, 'You should be ashamed of yourselves'.

Kelly supposedly told Lonigan at the time: 'Well, Lonigan, I never shot a man yet. But if ever I do, so help me God, you'll be the first.'

Another of the arresting officers that day was Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick, who tore the sole and heel of Kelly's boot off and who he in turn punched into a wall.

On April 15, 1878, Fitzpatrick decided to execute an arrest warrant on Dan Kelly for horse stealing and rode to the Kelly family's house.

Dan was not at home so Fitzpatrick waited for him, chatting with his mother Ellen and other members of the clan.

When Dan arrived on horseback Fitzpatrick arrested him but said he could eat dinner before they left the house. 

Ned Kelly was Australia's most infamous bushranger. He is pictured left in chains before he was hanged in 1880 in Melbourne Gaol. Steve Hart (right) was a friend of Dan Kelly's and died when tthe Kelly Gang engaged in a siege with police at Glenrowan

Joe Byrne was close to Ned Kelly and murdered police informer Aaron Sherritt. He died in the siege at Glenrowan. He and Kelly's younger brother Dan (right) died in the siege at Glenrowan

Fitzpatrick later said while he was guarding Dan older brother Ned stormed in and shot him in the left arm with a revolver. His claimed Ellen then hit him over the head with a fire shovel, knocking him out.

The constable said Ned forced him to extract the bullet from his arm and was allowed to leave only when he promised not to report he had been shot.

In Ned's version of events he was 200 miles from his home when Fitzpatrick came to arrest Dan without a warrant. 

When his mother said Dan did not have to go with Fitzpatrick the constable pulled out a revolver and said: 'I will blow your brains out if you interfere.'

According to the Kelly story, Ellen replied, 'You would not be so handy with that popgun of yours if Ned were here.'

Dan then told Fitzpatrick that Ned was approaching the house and disarmed him when he looked out the window. Dan said Fitzpatrick left the house unarmed.

Another version had Fitzpatrick arriving drunk, making a pass at Ned and Dan's sister Kate, and Dan throwing him to the floor. Ned appeared, Dan disarmed Fitzpatrick and the officer injured his arm on a door.

After the Fitzpatrick incident Ellen was arrested, along with her baby Alice, while Ned and Dan took flight. On Fitzpatrick's evidence Ellen was convicted of being an accessory to attempted murder and sentenced to three years hard labour.

The Kelly gang made suits of armour out of plough mouldboards before the siege at Glenrowan in an attempt to make themselves bullet-proof. Ned Kelly's armour is pictured

A newspaper sketch titled 'Murderous attack on Victorian Police' shows the killing of Sergeant Kennedy and Constables Scanlan and Lonigan by the Kelly Gang at Stringybark Creek

Sentencing judge Redmond Barry - who would later condemn Ned to death - said if the older Kelly brother were before the court he would jail him for 15 years.

Fearing no one would believe their story about the Fitzpatrick incident, Ned and Dan remained in hiding and were joined by their friends Joe Byrne and Steve Hart.

Police heard the gang was camped out at the head of the King River in the Wombat Ranges and on October 25 two parties, one from Greta and another from Mansfield, were dispatched to flush them out.

The Mansfield party was led by Sergeant Kennedy with Constables Scanlan, McIntyre and Lonigan - the same one who had 'black-balled' Ned at Benalla.

When McIntyre was later asked why the search party brought so much ammunition with them, he said it was to shoot kangaroos. They were all dressed in civilian clothes.

Kennedy chose to set up camp on a disused gold diggings near two miner's huts at Stringybark Creek on a site so heavily timbered the sergeant described it as 'impenetrable'.

A£2,500 reward for the capture of the Kelly Gang was posted after they murdered four policeman at Stringybark Creek. Ned Kelly had a £1,000 bounty on his head, while £500 was offered for each of Dan Kelly, Steve Hart and Joe Byrne

The next morning Kennedy took Scanlan with him down the creek to explore while McIntyre and Lonigan stayed behind.

About midday Lonigan heard a noise by the creek and McIntyre went to explore. He found nothing of interest but shot several parrots to eat, alerting the Kelly Gang to the police camp location.

About 5pm while McIntrye sat by a fire making tea the gang emerged from the bush and one of them cried out, 'Bail up, hold up your arms'. McIntyre would later say all four of the gang were armed.

Having left his revolver near the officers' tent McIntrye did as he was told. According to him, Ned then immediately aimed his gun at his old enemy Lonigan and fired.

Lonigan was hit in the temple and fell to the ground saying 'Oh Christ, I am shot' then died. Kelly supposedly remarked, 'What a pity. What made the fool run?'

Ned gathered up Lonigan and McIntyre's guns and the others rummaged through the police tent for supplies.

The gang clearly knew McIntyre and Lonigan had been in a party of four and Ned asked where the other two were, threatening to kill McIntyre if he lied.

After McIntyre gave Ned the information he wanted he asked if was going to be shot. 'No, why should I want to shoot you?' Ned told him. 'Could I not have done it half an hour ago if I had wanted?'

In early November 1878, Melbourne photographer Arthur Burman went to Stringybark Creek to document the scene of the murders. He was joined by members of the original search party who had retrieved the bodies. They posed for Burman in this re-enactment

Ned then asked McIntrye if the police party had come to shoot the gang. 'No,' the constable told him. 'We came to apprehend you.'

McIntyre would later say he asked Ned what he would do if he convinced his fellow officers to surrender upon their return.

'I'll shoot no man if he holds up his hands,' Kelly said, adding he would detain the three officers overnight before letting them go without their firearms or horses.

McIntyre assured Ned he would talk Kennedy and Scanlan into giving up if he kept his word and Ned replied, 'You can depend on us.'

Ned told McIntyre his mother was being unjustly held in jail and it was Constable Fitzpatrick who had caused all his problems.

About 5.30pm the gang heard Kennedy and Scanlan approach. One concealed himself in the tent and the three others hid behind logs.

They forced McIntyre to sit down and Ned threatened him by saying, 'Mind, I have a rifle for you if you give any alarm.'

A man is pictured standing near the burnt remains of the Glenrowan Inn where Australia's most notorious criminal Ned Kelly made his last stand in June 1880  

As Kennedy and Scanlan rode into the camp their colleague called out, 'Sergeant, I think you had better dismount and surrender, as you are surrounded.'

At the same time Ned told them, 'Put up your hands' but Kennedy seemed to think that was McIntyre playing a joke, because he reached down towards his revolver.

The gang opened fire but Kennedy was not hit. He jumped from his horse and begged for his life. 'It's all right, stop it, stop it,' he cried out.

Ned Kelly is pictured in a mugshot taken at Melbourne Gaol when he was just 16

Scanlan then fell off his horse when he tried to dismount. While the policeman was on all fours and trying to rise Ned shot him dead.

Ned then killed Kennedy with a shotgun blast to the chest and took a gold watch from his body.

Watching all this, McIntyre fled on Kennedy's horse and the gang opened fire. None of the shots hit the policeman and he managed to escape with his life.

When McIntrye returned to Stringybark Creek with another police party they retrieved the bodies of Lonigan and Scanlan and found the tent burnt out. All the police belongings had been taken or destroyed.

Kennedy's body was found several days later several hundred metres from the campsite. His great grandson believes his ancestor was captured and murdered a couple of hours after losing a gunfight.

All the Kelly Gang members were declared outlaws under the Felons' Apprehension Act on October 31, meaning they could be shot on sight.

The gang would go on to commit further outrages. On December 9 they held up a station near Euroa, taking all of its occupants hostage. The next morning they robbed the local bank after cutting the town's telegraph wires.

Victoria Police commemorate the lives of Sergeant Michael Kennedy, Constable Michael Scanlan and Constable Thomas Lonigan at Stringybark Creek in 2018

On February 8 the following year the gang took over Jerilderie in southern New South Wales for three days, robbing the bank and locking the local police in their cells.

Back in Victoria the gang seized the town of Glenrowan on June 28, 1880, two days after Joe Byrne murdered police informer Aaron Sherritt.

Byrne, Dan Kelly and Steve Hart were killed in a siege waged from the Glenrowan Inn and Ned was captured the next morning.

Ned Kelly was charged with the murders of Scanlan, Sherritt and Lonigan and convicted of murdering Lonigan. He was hanged in Melbourne Gaol on October 11, 1880, aged 25.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton unveiled a new memorial to Kennedy, Scanlan and Lonigan at Stringybark Creek in 2018 on the 140th anniversary of their murders.

Mr Ashton laid at wreath at three memorial plinths as three riderless horses representing the slain officers were walked through the site.