Order of Perpetual Indulgence - History Walks Audio Series

The Order of Perpetual Indulgence, Sydney House, has conducted History Walks in and around Sydney since the early 1990s. These walks have traditionally been held the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras period. Although supported by the community, the walks are not a part of the Mardi Gras Festival itself.

Originally starting as a Colonial History Walk through the CBD of Sydney, from 1996 the Order expanded of the scope of the Walks to include two additional "living history" walks to include two further walks: Kings Cross/Darlinghurst and The Golden Mile from Paddington Town Hall down to Taylors Square, and then subsequently down to Whitlam Square.

In the early 2000s the Order created a fourth "living history walk" around the Newtown and Darlington areas. However the content of this last walk has not been captured on these audio files.

These recordings were produced by Barry McKay, and featured Cardinal Robert French (since canonised as St Robert of the Rainbow Chronicles), Mother Abbyss, and Sister Salomé of the Ninth Mystic Rhinestone.

The purpose behind making the recordings was for broadcast over Community Radio Stations.

The Sisters acknowledge the impetus and energy of Barry Mckay in making these recordings.


Walk One - Colonial History Walk (Sydney CBD)
Track 1
1. Homosexuality amongst Convicts
2. Macquarie Place and the story of convicts James and Jeremiah Marney 1866
3. George St Gaol and the hanging of Chief Officer Alexander Brown for sodomy, 1828
4. Lang Park toilets, arrests of Clarence McNaulty, Douglas Annand and Claudio Arrau in the 1940s and 1950s
5. Wynward Park, and the "Queer House" story of 1917
Track 2
6. Bellfield's Hotel, George Street and Salt Meat alley
7. The clientele of Madam Pura's Cafe, Royal Arcade, George Street, 1930s and 1940s
8. Welsh convict William Williams, 1820s, convicted on several charges of "unnatural crimes"
9. Theatre Royal, Castlereagh St, gay and lesbian following the first half of 20th Century
10. Australia Hotel, Carlton Hotel and Ushers Hotel, Castlereagh Street, the first known "gay bars" 1920s to 1950s
11. William Yates, Anglican Minister (St James Church), 1830s
12. Supreme Court cases regarding homosexuality late 1700s to 1920s
Track 3
13. Hyde Park Barracks, same sex activity, and young convicts Thomas Morton and Isaac Stott, 1834
14. Hyde Park and "beat" activities 1860s to 1950s
15. St Mary's Cathedral, Boomerang Street and "beat" activity 1960s and 1970s
16. Lesbian criminal Iris Webber, East Sydney / Darlinghurst 1950s

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Walk Two - Kings Cross and Paddington (includes Darlinghurst)
Track 1
1. El Alamein fountain; flats in Kings Cross in the 1920s; and the rise of Bohemian and homosexual subculture
2. Camp party hostess Rose in Kings Cross in the 1940s
3. Kings Cross annual Artists Ball (with the extract from John Rose's novel "Up the Cross"
4. Various camp venues in Kings Cross, 1960s and 1970s
5. "Six o'clock swill"; Police surveillance at the Rex Hotel (a gay venue) 1950s - 1970s
6. Costellos Bar and the Barrell Inn (gay venues) 1970s
Track 2
7. Les Girls cabaret venue 1960s to 1990s
8. Queens Cross
9. 1978 Gay Mardi Gras (Pride March) police arrests and the beginning of modern Mardi Gras
Track 3
10. 1978 Mardi Gras (continued)
Track 4
11. Green Park: "Wedding Chapel" beat (and blessing of the Holy Relic - a fragment of the True Urinal)
12. "The Wall" Darlinghurst Road - beat and pick-up for male prostitutes - 1960s to 1990s
13. "Aquarius Club" early 1970s. (extract from journalist John Edwards in article in Nation, 1970)
14. Paddington Town Hall 1970s and 1980s
15. Enzo's Wine Bar and venue 1980 the Apollo Bar 1970s
16. Chez Ivy's Bondi Junction drag venue, 1970s
17. The Rave Room, a lesbian social club, Bondi Junction, 1970

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Walk Three - The Golden Mile (Paddington to Darlinghurst)

Sr Salomé was informed in 1971 that the Golden Mile, was the distance from Enzo's Wine Bar to Capriccio's (Taylor Square),
and anything Sr Salomé believes must be true!

Track 1
1. Paddington Green Hotel, gay bar and bootscooting venue 1980s
2. Unicorn Hotel, gay bar, 1980s
3. Club 80: Police raid 1983, leading to the eventual decriminalisation of homosexual acts in NSW 1984
4. Sauna at 253 Oxford Street (and extract from journalist Susan Anthony in Nation, 1978
5. Ivy's Birdcage, first gay bar in Darlinghurst, late 1960s
6. Taxi Club (Flinders Street) - low life / drag scene 1970s
Track 2
7. Beresford Hotel 1978; and Scorpion scandal sheet 1980
8. Clone culture in Oxford St in the late 1970s and 1980s
9. Captain Moonlight, homosexual bushranger hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol, 1870s
10. Darlinghurst Police Station - arrests and bashings 1960s and 1970s
11. Purple Onion Night Club, late 1960s to 1970
12. Capriccio's Nightclub - highly popular and amous Drag shows 1970s
13. Jules Cabaret nightclub (Crown Street) 1970s
Track 3
14. Illegal casinos in Oxford Street that subsequently became gay bars 1970s
15. Tropicana, Flo's Palace, and Scooters - 1970's
16. Exchange Hotel and New Romantics fashion - 1980s
17. Black Ada's "Dancing school" - illegal underground gay club, 1940s

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