Uncover the dark and intriguing history of Melbourne on a walking tour led by writer and historian Michael Shelford. Explore the crime, gangsters, and ‘Little Lon’ era of the city, filled with shootings, bombings, brothels, and more.
- Little Lon Distilling Co. - Little Lon Distilling Co is a Gin Distillery which operates from Melbourne CBD’s only surviving single story cottage. It also happens to be a former house of ill repute. You will hear stories of the cottage’s former inhabitants, sourced from original police files.
- Tour booklet with character photos
- Please bring along your own food and drinks.
Join us as we delve into Melbourne’s history, navigating through the years when a corner shop offered much more than just candies and fizzy drinks. Discover the city’s shadowy past from the 1870s to the 1930s, a time when Melbourne’s downtown poorer quarters, known as ‘Little Lon’, were majorly controlled by women. Understand the struggle for power, the brave ladies who held their own against notorious thugs like Squizzy Taylor, and a female-led crime ring called ‘The Combine’. We will stop in front of buildings that were once houses of ill-repute and illegal bars, while listening to the tales of the happenings inside these edifices and the surrounding streets and alleys.
Violent encounters, explosions, assaults, houses of ill-repute, thefts, opium, cocaine, and unlawful bars.
This journey into the past is designed and guided by author and historian, Michael Shelford.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
