Bloody Dames of Darlinghurst Crime Tour
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.
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Bloody Dames of Darlinghurst Crime Tour
What's included in Bloody Dames of Darlinghurst Crime Tour
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
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.
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.
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.
Inclusions
- Exclusive insights you won’t find on plaques, in guidebooks, or other tours
- True crime tales from Sydney’s 1920s–30s underworld
- Guided walking tour led by a professional storyteller
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting Points
- Please meet at the Anzac War Memorial in Hyde Park South (Elizabeth Street side). Your guide will be wearing a grey “Bloody Interesting Tours” jacket and cap. Please arrive 10 minutes early. Look for us near the front steps of the memorial.
End Points
- 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.
