ABSTRACT
This chapter examines a point at which popular culture, tourism and the telling of stories from history interconnect and become a significant presence in the process of 'consuming history'. History is a set of stories and a range of discursive practices that have been borrowed liberally by popular culture. The chapter sets the groundwork for the construction of the idea of the 'touristed landscape', the conceptual tool that is used to present the evidence of a history-linked and heritage-based tourism product based on the story of the Australian bushranger Ned Kelly. Ned Kelly's story is the timeless tale of the hero, the man who transcends the often brutal or mundane realities of his existence to become a symbol of something larger than himself. Although the story has a substantial factual basis, it is the symbolism of some of the components of the story that underpins much of its significance and its sustained presence in various forms of popular culture.
