Razor: Underbelly tour of the real Kings Cross

by Nahrain John

A Sydney suburb that technically does not exist, a string of public murders with no witnesses and a hidden addiction to sex and drugs, the colorful yet dangerously thrilling past and present of Kings Cross comes to life as travellers near and far discover the Underbelly of the precinct.

Accor and Two Feet & A Heartbeat gathered a small contingent of travel professionals last night to explore the suburb made famous after its secrets hit the airwaves in Aussie TV show, Underbelly.

Exposing the mysteries that locals once took to their pre-mature graves, the walking tour disclosed details of the early 1900s prostitution leadership of Kate Leigh and Tilly Devine, the drug and alcohol control of Abe Saffron and the alleged current day underground activities of John Ibrahim.

Words like the Carousel Club, The Tunnel, Juanita Nielsen, the Venus Room and Donny the Glove will be forever engraved into a tour participant's mind as they digest the stories of the suburb and question its reality.

Darlinghurst Road at dusk (R Eime)

Tour guide and also a cast member in the current series of Underbelly Razor Kim Knuckey said the area has gone through many changes and explained that the increase in drugs and sex came with demand from the docks.

With up to 20,000 people living the suburb and up to 5,000 visitors stopping by he stressed that its underground activities do not make it any more dangerous than other precincts.

“People ask me how safe it is and it is as safe as anywhere else,” he explained.

“It’s probably not safe like any place after midnight and out front of pubs and bars where people can get a bit rowdy.”

See also: Underbelly Homepage at NineMSN

For details of the Underbelly Kings Cross Tour and the special ‘Crimes and Passions’ package, contact Mercure Sydney Potts Point on 02 9397 1777