Kings Cross Golden Age — crimes, clubs & cocktail bars
From bourgeois beginnings, The Cross became infamous for its wild nights & neon lights — evolving into a red light strip where anything was for sale and Sydney could source its sex drive.
Dubbed in the media as Sin City, it is no secret that the success of this entertainment mecca was largely built on crime and corruption. Or that murders and martinis often came hand in hand.
Together we’ll rewind the clock to explore how this glittering, golden mile of scandals and fantasies was forged. From the bohemians, razor gangs and brothel keepers of the roaring 1920s & ’30s to the pioneers of its strip clubs and all-night adult entertainment, we’ll explore the notorious golden age of Kings Cross and the colourful array of characters who left their mark on its incredible history.
“One of the most enjoyable and thought provoking tours I have ever encountered.” Jill, QLD
” We discussed the various stories for hours after the event. It opened our eyes to part of our home town that we were totally unaware of. ” Paula, SYD
“A fascinating way to get under the skin of Kings Cross” Ian, VIC
- 2.5 hr small group walking tour Covering approx. 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
- Mostly Saturdays at 2:30 pm
- Minimum 2 / maximum 15 guests
- Led by a Sydney Crime Historian
- $55 per person
- Private tour rates from $480
- We start at El Alamein Fountain, Potts Point. Located in Fitzroy Gardens, Macleay Street, Potts Point / Kings Cross (see Google Maps location here)
- We finish at a historical hotel for an opportunity of a post tour drink or meal
ON THIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE:
- You’ll explore the notorious secrets & scandals of Sydney’s historic red-light strip with a professional local guide & storyteller.
- Discover how this glamorous colonial locality began to transform into Sydney’s late-night playground of vice, bohemia and entertainment by the 1920’s & 30s.
- Walk in the footsteps of razor-wielding gangs and underworld queens such as Kate Leigh & Tilly Devine who once battled for criminal supremacy over the area’s sly-grog stores, dope dealing haunts and sex trade.
- Recall the neon-lit fantasies of the Glittering Mile as colourful bright lights dominated the late-night sky-line and attracted the city’s masses like moths to a flame.
- Evoke the buzzing atmosphere of the 1960s and ’70s as local and international revellers, U.S servicemen, visiting rock-stars, eccentrics and beatniks flocked to its infamous stretch of nightclubs, strip-shows & go-go bars.
- Expose the pioneering club owners and brothel keepers who successfully installed a highly lucrative underbelly of organised crime, police corruption and adult entertainment
- Reopen one of Sydney’s most scandalous cold-case murder mysteries from 1975 that embroiled the neighbourhood and shocked the nation: the unsolved disappearance of Juanita Nielsen.
- Plus: get immersed in the contemporary culture of the Cross: a complicated fusion of the past and the present where the last of the Gentlemen’s Clubs sit aside dog friendly cafes; and local libraries face off adult book stores along the old Golden Mile.
This tour will bring to life the local characters, hidden secrets & forgotten flavours the Cross’s Golden Age. It will reveal the quirky & glamorous Art Deco street-scapes of Potts Point; discuss the contemporary cafe & club culture; and delve into the controversial history of lust, luxuriance & long-nights that left its mark on so many, for so long.
WATCH OUR TOUR TRAILER
TOUR INFORMATION:
- Tours last approximately 2.5 hours and covers approximately 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
- Your tour guide will meet you beside the El Alamein Fountain at Fitzroy Gardens (Macleay street, Potts Point)
- Your tour guide will be standing with a white tour folder saying KINGS CROSS WALKING TOUR
- Please arrive 5-10 minutes before your tour begins to check-in with your guide.
- Your guide will be located at the meeting spot at least 15 minutes before your tour is scheduled to begin, they will be wearing a navy blue shirt and will themselves visible.
- Seating, shelter and public restrooms are available close by our meeting location.
- We recommend a bringing a water bottle, wearing comfortable shoes and an umbrella / rain jacket if wet weather is predicted.
