Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Kings Cross

In the nineteenth century one of Sydney's most prestigious suburbs, it became home to a vibrant bohemian community and later Sydney's red light district. Named for the intersection of Darlinghurst Road, William and Victoria Streets and once called Queens Cross, the area is now a neon lit mecca for tourists and Sydneysiders.

-33.875083296183, 151.22197616096

Name
Alternate
Queens Cross
1897 - 1905
Type

Kings Cross

,
2011

Kings Cross exists in Sydney's imagination as much as it does in any physical form, and pinning down its geographical boundaries is difficult. It has loomed large in Sydney's culture since the first houses were built nearby in the 1830s, and continues to attract tourists and Sydneysiders alike.

Breeding delinquents: Surf City 1963-1966

CC BY 2.5 AU
,
2020

The venue Surf City in the former Kings Cross Theatre on Darlinghurst Road was accused of ‘breeding delinquents’ soon after it opened in 1963. Despite its short lifetime, the venue is crucial to the musical history of Australia. For three years it served as the spiritual home of Australian beat music, giving rise to mainstream pop stars and underground cult heroes whose influence remains today.

Inquest into the 1975 disappearance of Juanita Neilsen 1983

,
2021

In 1983 an inquest into the 1975 disappearance of conservationist and journalist Juanita Neilsen was held at Glebe Coroner's Court.