Sydney Education

Dark Stories: Sydney’s True Crime Tour | The Rocks

Dark Stories runs true crime tours in the heart of Sydney, bringing to life exciting tales of the dastardly crimes and misdeeds of Old Sydney Town.

This reviewer attended the true crime tour of The Rocks, meeting at a designated spot near the southern pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Our guide, Chloe, welcomed us with a lovely smile, welcoming us with a snapshot of the history of the bridge and its surrounds. We were regaled with dark tales of ill-fated lovers, the slapdash unreliability of firearms, and an urban myth that continues to percolate today.

Chloe was a terrific guide projecting her voice, at times against traffic noise. She spoke clearly, was polished and professional, and full of interesting information.

The tour meandered through the often infamous streets and laneways of Millers and Dawes Points. Starting at Parbury Lane, we wandered, at a leisurely pace, along cobblestone walkways and narrow lanes, in an area which once housed merchants, convicts and sailors. We stopped at various points of interest to catch our breath and listen to another twisted and dark tale. It’s hard to imagine a time when these quaint, winding laneways were so feral, raw sewage ran alongside houses, and rats ran amok.

The Rocks was Australia’s first port town and dockyard, and its streets were rough and mean, ruled over by the Rocks Push, a violent gang of larrikins (thugs) with a predilection for robbery, assault and murder. They also viciously fought other local gangs. Walking these areas now, it seems a world away from such levels of colonial brutality and violence.

The walk took us to colonial ruins in Ferry Lane, through the Argyle Cut, past the Garrison Church, and up perhaps 50 steps to the start of the bridge climb. This was the steepest part of the tour but easily manageable. At Observatory Hill, we stood in the rotunda taking in the spectacular view of Sydney Harbour, the backdrop for one of Australia’s most horrifying unsolved true crimes.

From there, we trekked through back streets where Chloe offered more intriguing tales of ill-deeds and the macabre. There were many information plaques on buildings and walls, which complemented each story and added depth and mystery.

The tour finished at Cadman’s Cottage, which housed the watermen who made deliveries on the harbour, much like today’s water taxis. Here, we heard a mortifying tale of deceit and murderous intentions. The cottage is closed to the public, which seems a shame, as it would make a great little museum.

A few tips to get the most out of the tour. The walk goes for 90 minutes, so take the offered toilet stop at the start point. Be sure to bring water and a hat. If walking from Circular Quay, allow a good 15 minutes to arrive at the meeting place.

Dark Stories also offers a tour through the underbelly of Sydney crime with its Razor Gangs Tour around Darlinghurst. True crime tours are also available in other cities across Australia, including Maitland, Newcastle, Brisbane, Fremantle, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

I highly recommend Dark Stories: The Rocks True Crime Tour. It was fun, informative, and a spookily forensic foray into Old Sydney Town.

To book tickets to Sydney True Crime Tour – The Rocks, please visit https://darkstories.com.au/sydney-true-crime-tour/.

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