Duration:
1h40m
Uncover Sydney’s underworld war – when the Razor Gangs ruled the streets, gangsters with larger-than-life personalities clashed for power, speakeasies thrived, and good and evil danced on a razor’s edge.
Operated By:
Take a Walk on the Dark Side.
Experience Sydney in a time of a war, when the Razor Gangs battled for supremacy, and the balance between good and evil sat on the finest point of the sharpest razor’s edge.
- Enjoy a leisurely guided walking tour retracing the key events and places of Sydney’s very own Razor Gang War.
- Peel back the curtain to reveal the bee’s knees soap-opera-like lives of the most notorious and celebrated gangsters from Sydney’s roaring 1920s and 1930s.
- Tread carefully through Razor Gang territory, exploring the untouched streets and alleyways of old, roamed by hatchet men that would not spill the beans…most of the time.
- Travel back to the high times of Sydney’s old Speakeasy party scene, replete with button men, saps, molls and dolls.
- Book your ticket now for the Cat’s Meow investigation into a dark, razor-sharp, and crime-ridden history.
Relive Sydney’s Razor Gang era – a time of gangsters with larger than life personalities brutally engaged in the sharp edge of a fully-fledged gang war.
Experience the troubled tales of the city’s most infamous gangsters and get a taste for what it was like living outside the law.
Meets at the front of the Darlinghurst Fire Station on Victoria Street (intersected with Kings Cross Rd and Craigend St); look for the famous Coca Cola billboard on the opposite side of the road.
…stories the city tried to forget…
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Find us for your Tour
The meeting point is at the front of the Darlinghurst Fire Station on Victoria Street across a very complicated intersection from the famous Coca Cola billboard on the opposite side of the road. Please arrive 10-15 minutes before the scheduled start time of your tour, if at all possible.
Click here for directions.
Brainteaser Questions
Let’s get you into the Razor Gang spirit with a couple of local trivia questions :-)
Q1. Rival gang leaders Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine developed a bitter feud over a dog. What was the breed of the dog that somehow became embroiled in gang warfare?
a. Poodles
b. German Shepherds.
c. Pomeranians.
d. Hot Dogs.
Q2. Guido Calletti was a well-known player in the game and used to run a stall as a cover for his operations. What kind of stall did he run?
a. Hot Food Stall.
b. Plant Stall.
c. Fruit Stall.
d. Drinks Stall.
See the base of this email for answers.
What’s Nearby
We also appreciate you may be wondering what to eat and drink both before and after your tour. You’ll likely be looking for a Bar? A Cafe? Or a Restaurant?
We’ve taken the liberty of listing a few places that we highly recommend. These are not only great options in their own right, but they are also very conveniently located close to the tour start and finishing points.
Cafe
Tropicana Caffe – the birthplace of Tropfest – the world’s largest short film festival! From Tropicana’s humble beginnings in 1980, it is now known to be one of the most iconic cafes in Australia. With a wide variety of focaccia, salads, pastas and Italian-style main meals. Enjoy their premium fresh roasted coffee or a glass of selected wine with your meal. Find them here.
Gelato Messina Darlinghurst – Every flavour you see is made using a unique recipe created by them to a secret recipe. You’ll find a 40 flavour cabinet, with 35 traditional flavours and 5 rotating weekly specials, along with a selection of delicious gelato cakes. Find them here.
Bar Restaurants
Kings Cross Hotel – In the heart of the city’s most renowned nightlife precinct, the Kings Cross Hotel is a Sydney institution and an enduring icon. Bridging the divide between the Kings Cross of old and the evolving face of the ‘New’ Cross, the KXH remains firmly committed to bringing on the Good Times. Steeped in history and legend, the legacy of the Cross lives on at the Kings Cross Hotel. Find them here.
Kings Cross Distillery – is located at the intersection where the once mischievous glittering half-mile of Darlinghurst Road met with Sydney’s glamorous personality mecca of Macleay Street. Our pot-still, sits in the heart of our distillery, in a venue once home to covert businesses; an illegal 60s casino and a salacious club and private bookshop, with secret tunnels and spaces to hide away from the eyes of the law. Find them here.
Mad Pizza Darlinghurst – A super long bar, and the coolest of location’s to watch the funky people of Darlinghurst go about their business. Darlo as it’s commonly referred to, is very inner city, tre chic! Find them here.
The Boozehouse 1933 – is situated in one of Sydney’s original basement bars on William Street, Woolloomooloo. This classy speakeasy will tantalize your taste buds with a selection of signature cocktails, fine spirits, wines and beer from local brewers. For the hungry, they offer bite sized snacks, substantial eats and delicious items to share with friends. Find them here.
Restaurants
The Farmhouse Kings Cross – here everything is kept simple. They offer a four-course set menu with set seatings for lunch and dinner depending on the day, and even the whole menu changes every 4 weeks. Find them here.
A Tavola – was established in 2007 by chef-owner Eugenio, and quickly earned a reputation of being one of Sydney’s best places to go for authentic Italian pasta. The long marble table is filled with loyal and regular diners – all seduced by the simplicity and honesty of Eugenio’s food and especially his love of good pasta. Find Eugenio here.
Post tour Cocktails
Love, Tilly Devine – a funky, cosy bar with eclectic furniture and an extensive wine menu accompanying Italian nibbles. Find Tilly here.
Dulcies – where every cocktail is hand-made and bottled with only the highest quality Aussie spirits. Each drink comes with instructions, a little bit of history and a Dulcie’s coaster to bring into the comfort of your own home and relive the Dulcie’s experience. Find Dulcie here.
Getting Here by Public Transport
If arriving by Train; taking the train into Kings Cross Station will leave you with a 5-minute walk to the tour starting point.
If arriving by Bus; taking the bus into Kings Cross Station Bus Stop on Darlinghurst Road will leave you with a 5-minute walk to the tour starting point.
Getting Here by Car
On most evenings, metered street parking (with a mix of 2 hours and 4-hour limits) is available within a short walking distance of the tour.
Fitness Level
- The tour is approximately 2-3 km in length, taken at a very leisurely gentle walking pace with plenty of stops along the way.
- It usually takes 90-100 minutes with hills kept to as minimal as possible, with some stairs to navigate. Aside from which the tour runs mostly on flat terrain.
Running Late?
- If for reasons beyond control you are running late, please contact us and provide an estimated time of arrival, and the tour host will be notified.
- If you are running more than 10 minutes late, as the tour will have already started, we will attempt to coordinate with you and the tour host for an alternative meeting point.
A1. The answer was c- Pomeranians.
Kate Leigh told reporters that she had leant Tilly Devine one of her best dogs for breeding purposes, but claimed that Tilly had kept that dog and sent back an inferior one in its place. Tilly Devine refuted the accusation and claimed never to have received a dog. Furthermore, she had the pedigree and they were a class above Kates. One of them was telling a doggone lie.
A2. The answer was c- A Fruit Stall.
Guido was born to immigrant parents and ran the family fruit stall to supplement and act as a cover for, his extracurricular activities.
See you soon :-)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Gift Card Purchases are subject to the following terms and conditions:-
– Gift cards can be redeemed for any product in any location.
– Gift cards are valid for 3 years from the date of purchase.
– Gift cards are non-refundable, but remain fully transferable.
Rain and Weather:-
– Dark Stories will contact you via SMS or Email on the day your tour runs if there are weather issues that are likely to impact the tour.
– Please be patient; inclement weather during the day often(but not always) leads to clear skies in the evenings.
– Tours will usually operate under most conditions including sporadic light rain.
– Dark Stories will be in touch as early as possible(at the latest 90 minutes prior to tour start times) if the tour is impacted in any way.
– Dark Stories reserves the right to make the final decision to proceed or cancel an event for rain impacted days/nights.
Minimum Attendance Clause
– Dark Stories requires a minimum number of participants to proceed. If this number is not met, the tour may be cancelled, and attendees will be offered the option to reschedule or receive a full refund.
General
– Please respect all other participants, and tour hosts. No rudeness or aggressive behaviour will be tolerated. Dark Stories reserves the right to remove any person/s from the tour who pose a danger to others or are disruptive to the tour.
– Dark Stories reserves the right to refuse entry and evict persons under the influence of drugs or alcohol who are disorderly or engage in inappropriate behaviour or vandalism.
– Rules are strictly enforced for the safety and enjoyment of all participants.
