Beautiful, headstrong Orla O'Meara escapes persecution in 19th century Ireland to start a new life in the wild colony of Victoria, Australia.

There she meets the continent's most notorious bushranger, Ned Kelly and a brief, passionate relationship results in the birth of the outlaw's unknown son, Niall.

After Ned's violent death, Orla and her son have to learn to survive in this tough, unforgiving land. Their travels, together with a faithful Waler horse named Boss Boy, take them throughout Australia and bring them up against criminals, goldminers, loggers and the police.

Ned Kelly's Son is a sweeping saga, following mother and son and the family's descendants through Australia's transition from a collection of colonies to a nation born during the Boer War, in which Niall serves.

The Kellys fight injustice and champion the rights of aboriginal people through a hundred years of struggle, poverty, wealth, pain and redemption.