Convicts & Crime Stories — history tour of The Rocks (2.5hrs)

CONVICTS, CRIME & QUIRKY COLONIAL CHARACTERS COME TO LIFE IN A FASCINATING HISTORY EXCURSION OF THE ROCKS AND OLD SYDNEY COVE Pr*son SETTLEMENT

Once upon a time (not so long ago) a bizarre colonial experiment took place on the rocky shores of Sydney’s ancient Indigenous harbour. Thousands of miles from home, England’s banished thieves were locked in a Pr*son with ocean walls; forced to find food and cut through solid shelves of stone.

Defying the odds, their shanty Pr*son camp survived and grew—clutching to life on the banks of a hidden freshwater stream. Gardens were grown, goods were traded and rum soon ranked as both currency and cure.

As centuries changed, many a clever convict managed to swap their chains for riches and The Rocks was carved into cottages, corridors and criminal hang-outs. Scallywags sailed into shore. Larrikins lurked in the laneways. The cops were bribed. The slums were plagued. The crimes continued. Especially as opium dens and illegal gambling haunts moved into the hidden cellars buried beneath the cobblestone streets.

Join a Sydney crime historian and professional tour guide to share a part in this remarkable story around the oldest colonial streets, alleys, monuments, houses, pubs and ruins in Sydney. This convict and crime history tour will keep your ears pricked, your eyes open and your passion for the past brought to life.

Host or Publisher Max Burns -McRuvie: Sydney crime historian, owner of Journey Walks Tours