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Bloody Dames of Darlinghurst Crime Tour

2 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 2 reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 100% of reviewers | Sydney, Australia
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 30 (0) days in advance.

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Instant confirmation

Overview

In the 1920s, Sydney was the crime capital of the world — a city ruled not by gangsters in suits, but by razor-wielding women. This walking tour takes you through Razorhurst, where cocaine queens, brothel madams, and corrupt cops built bloody empires. Meet Tilly Devine, Kate Leigh, and Nellie Cameron — the real-life crime bosses who made Sydney more dangerous than Chicago. If you love true crime, scandal, and stories too wild for the history books, this tour is unmissable.

What's Included

  • True crime tales from Sydney’s 1920s–30s underworld
  • Guided walking tour led by a professional storyteller
  • Exclusive insights you won’t find on plaques, in guidebooks, or other tours

    Meeting Location

    Meeting point

    126 Elizabeth Street
    Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

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    Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

    End point

    383 Bourke Street
    Darlinghurst NSW 2010, Australia

    The tour ends at Kinselas Hotel, just a 10-minute walk from Hyde Park and Museum Station. It's close to bus stops, cafes, and restaurants on Oxford Street. Your guide can assist with directions, transport, or local dining suggestions after the tour.

    What To Expect

    Book Online

    Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
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    Anzac Memorial

    We begin at Hyde Park — once sacred Gadigal land, later a colonial parade ground, and now home to a bold monument of grief and power. The Anzac Memorial’s striking art deco design reflects a city grappling with loss, identity, and control.By the 1920s, those same tensions exploded. Sydney shifted from solemn remembrance to chaos, becoming the crime capital of the Commonwealth. The streets around us turned from marches to mayhem — and the Razor Wars were just beginning.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    Francis Street

    Norman Bruhn came up from Melbourne in 1926 — a career criminal with a bad temper, a sawed-off shotgun, and plans to take over Sydney’s booming vice scene. He wasn’t just challenging men — he was challenging the razor queens already running the show: Tilly Devine, Kate Leigh, and their armies of girls, grog-runners, and crooked cops.Bruhn set up just steps from here. Less than a year later, he was ambushed and shot dead on this very street — a violent end that didn’t kill the chaos, but ignited it. His death marked the true beginning of the Razor Wars — Sydney’s bloodiest chapter.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    Riley Street

    In the late 1920s, Riley Street was the power base of Kate Leigh, Sydney’s most formidable sly grog queen. Operating from her home at 104 Riley Street, she built an empire of illegal pubs and cocaine supply. Just a few blocks away, Tilly Devine ran her brothels. The city wasn’t big enough for both — and as their empires collided, Sydney descended into the chaos of the Razor Wars.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    The Strand Hotel

    This William Street pub became one of the most infamous landmarks of Sydney’s Razor Wars. It was the scene of a fatal shooting, a near miss, and whispered threats over whisky. Frank Green, Barney Dalton, Nellie Cameron — their stories all passed through these doors.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    Woods Lane

    For years, these laneways were the beating heart of Tilly Devine’s brothel empire. Her girls worked the terraces, protected by razor gangs and bribes. It was here, in the shadows of Chapel Street, that deals were made, rivals were slashed, and Sydney’s sex trade turned bloody during the Razor Wars.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    East Village Hotel Sydney

    Once known as the Tradesman’s Arms, this pub was a notorious Razorhurst watering hole. Gangsters, brothel madams, and crooked cops drank here — often at the same table. Deals were made, threats exchanged, and more than one punch-up started right at this bar.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    Eternity Playhouse

    Once the Burton Street Tabernacle, this site was where Arthur Stace heard the sermon that inspired his famous one-word graffiti: “Eternity.” From a house of worship to a theatre of stories, this corner has echoed with conviction, redemption, and a touch of the divine ever since.
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    10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    Darlinghurst Goal ( now National Art School)

    Behind these stone walls, Sydney’s most notorious criminals were locked up — and some never left. In 1889, Louisa Collins became the last woman hanged in NSW after four trials for poisoning her husbands. Her execution sparked outrage — and marked the beginning of the end for public hangings.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    Kinselas Hotel

    Once a funeral home, Kinselas has seen its share of drama — long before it became a Darlinghurst icon. Rumour has it Tilly Devine’s rivals were laid out here. Today, it stands on the bones of Razorhurst, reborn as a bar, a stage, and a celebration of the city’s rebellious past.
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    15 minutes Admission Ticket Free

    Show 8 more stops

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
    • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

    Frequently Asked Questions (7)

    Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Bloody Dames of Darlinghurst Crime Tour?

    A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (AEDT). Read more Apr 2025

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

    Still have questions?

    We're here to help.
    Activity code: C-5578052P7

    Traveler Photos

    Reviews

    5.00
    2 reviews

    Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 2 traveler reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

    5 stars
    2
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    3 stars
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    Don't miss out!
    On average, this is booked 30 (0) days in advance.

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    What's Included

    Activity name

    • True crime tales from Sydney’s 1920s–30s underworld
    • Guided walking tour led by a professional storyteller
    • Exclusive insights you won’t find on plaques, in guidebooks, or other tours

    Additional Info

    Activity name

    • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers

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    Activity name