SYDNEY CRIME HISTORIAN | EVENT HOST PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER | DIRECTOR OF JOURNEY WALKS
Max Burns-McRuvie is a Sydney historian and the director of Journey Walks. With over 15 years of experience, Max has created and led history and crime tours in cities like Sydney, Barcelona, and Amsterdam, focusing on uncovering urban underworlds, bringing true crime stories to life, and reviving colorful characters from the past.
To back up his nerdiness: Max holds a Master of Museum and Heritage Studies from Sydney University, a Bachelor of English and History from the University of NSW, and Honours in European History from UVA (Amsterdam). His Master’s thesis explored the origins of Sydney’s tourism industry in the 19th century and the city’s emergence as an international travel destination.
In addition to tours, Max hosts regular events that explore Sydney’s criminal heritage through stories of vice, murder, and mystery. These experiences are paired with food and drink tastings at unique venues, including historic pubs, cocktail bars, museums, and a heritage-listed police station-turned-restaurant.
Max believes that engaging history tours and presentations are the best way to bring the past to life and connect today’s world with the captivating stories that came before us.