Melbourne Crime and Gangsters Walking Tour

This guided walking tour digs into Melbourne’s underworld history from the 1870s to the 1930s, with a focus on Little Lon and the characters who ran it. Rather than a general city stroll, it zeroes in on crime, gang rivalries, brothels, sly grog shops and the women who held power in the area. It’s a good pick if you want a more offbeat look at central Melbourne and prefer stories with a darker edge over standard sightseeing. The tour is designed and led by writer and historian Michael Shelford, and includes a booklet with photos of the people discussed along the way.

Over around two hours, you’ll walk through central Melbourne stopping outside former brothels, speakeasies and other sites tied to the city’s old slum district. Along the way, your guide shares stories of shootings, robberies, bombings, drug trade and the battle for control between well-known figures including Squizzy Taylor, local madams and the all-female crime syndicate known as The Combine. Expect a story-driven walk rather than entry into buildings, with the history brought to life through the streets and laneways where it happened.