Gangsters, Brothels & Lolly Shops, Melbourne Tour

What your day looks like

The tour group meets at the historic Coopers Inn, 282 Exhibition St (corner of Exhibition and Little Lonsdale St), Melbourne city. From there we head off to explore the streets and laneways which were the home of crime, prostitution, and vice 100 years ago. Shootings, bombings, bashings, brothels, robberies, opium, cocaine and sly grog (speakeasies). We'll take a walk through downtown Melbourne's 'Little Lon' district and learn of an era where there was much more on offer at lolly shops, (Australian for sweet shop or candy store) than just confectionery and soft drinks. We'll explore an underworld which was predominantly run by women and discover stories of the way they stood their ground against well-known gangsters such as Squizzy Taylor. Along the way, we will stop outside buildings which were once brothels and sly grog shops (speakeasies) and hear the stories of what occurred within their walls and on the streets and laneways around them. You will receive a booklet containing photographs of the people featured on the tour so that you can put a face to their adventures. The tour finishes at the corner of Lonsdale and Russell Street, Melbourne CBD.