SEX! Now that we have your attention, let’s talk about sex, liberty, freedom and expression.

The Cross (or the dirty half mile) was a buffet of vice where you could sample or feast on every flavour to your liking. There were venues like Pleasure Chest and Bottoms Up Bar where straight blokes and not so straight blokes could mingle. Establishments like underground nightclubs, Les Girls/drag bars, bars where sex workers called ‘the office’ , seedy motels and doorways where they did their business, and Sex shops with an intriguing and diverse product range (no judgement but the occasional raised eyebrow). The area became known as Australia’s place for a ‘little bit on the side’ thanks to places St Peters Lane, the girls plying their trade on Darlinghurst Road and the backstreets, the Venus Room and the antics of Madame Lash - who notoriously (and allegedly) taught a drug dealer a lesson using the rack, some restraints and a razor. The epicentre of the sex trade from early days until now; Kings Cross’ red lights shine bright across the world in reputation. 

The down side to the fame and excitement were always the predators who flocked to the Cross. While exploitation and precarious opportunities were rife in places like Costellos and Sweethearts, there were also the rare success stories. It is these remarkable stories of the cross that are at its heart. It’s about people like Glen Fisher - a street kid who saw the worst of the Cross and is now back helping the homeless. 

Join Duncan & Brandon as they talk about the stories of Kings Cross & its expressive history. 

Tickets are $25 and include a cocktail on arrival.