The Black Hand In Sydney with Adam Grossetti

Walk the backstreets of Kings Cross & Woolloomooloo, circa 1920-1940, and uncover the hidden locations once ruled by Sydney’s early gangster kingpins and operatives of Australia’s notorious Italian crime syndicate, the Black Hand and the Camorra. This tour offers a rare glimpse into migrant life in lower Woolloomooloo, along the docks and wharves where Sydney’s first fish market stood and where newly arrived communities forged lives in the shadows of the waterfront.

Explore the boarding houses, laneways, and bordellos that formed part of a vast underworld network linking Sydney to North Queensland’s sugar belt. Here, sex workers were trafficked, debts were enforced, and loyalties were tested. These streets whispered the threats of murder, extortion, and revenge, under the suffocating code of silence that protected those who lived by the rules of The Black Hand.

About the Guide

The tour will be guided by Adam Grossetti, writer and co-producer of the ABC television documentary The Black Hand, starring Anthony LaPaglia. Adam is a guest speaker at the University of London’s Association for the Study of Modern Italy Conference, Mafia and the Italian State, and the producer and writer of numerous radio documentaries, including ABC Radio National’s two-part Earshot podcast, The Black Hand. His work spans television, radio, and stage, and he is the recipient of the Queensland Premier’s Award for Drama.

Watch The Black Hand documentary by Adam Grossetti here on ABC iView for free: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/black-hand

Tour Highlights:

• Old Sydney Fish Market: See the site of Sydney’s first Fish Market, where waterfront labour and migrant life converged.
• A Gangland Hit: Stand at the location where underworld heavyweight Guido Galletti was murdered in a gangland execution.
• The Camorra: See where the Camorra met and initiated members into the secret society of the malavita. Behold the secret ancient ritual performed in Calabria, New York, and Sydney in the 1920s and 30s.
• The Brothels: Observe the lanes and brothels from where the “working girls” were trafficked to the cane fields of North Queensland.
• The 50 50 Club: Sydney’s most notorious illegal casino, nightclub, and cocaine den of the 1930s, where cashed-up mobsters went to live large.

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If you are interested in booking a group of 8 or more for an unlisted date, please email elliot@murdersmostfoul.com or call 0431922619. Mid-week options available.

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 Glenda 
 
 
 
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Balmain: Rust, Radicals and Razors. I was blown away by, and totally mesmerised by the history and knowledge that Elliott forwarded onto all of us. The best walking tour I've ever been on.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Ray Welling 
 
 
 
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Deep knowledge on display - who knew so many people were murdered in Balmain? Thanks for an entertaining session, Lindsey!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Rosanna Marsella 
 
 
 
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Adam Grossetti lead our tour through the streets of Potts Point and surrounds. He was very knowledgeable and presented in a easy and engaging way. After watching his 3 part series, this tour highlighted the connection between The Black Hand in Queensland and events in Sydney's underworld. Highly recommend!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Andrew 
 
 
 
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This walking tour was a memorable and highly worthwhile experience. Elliot is remarkably well-informed about the fascinating history of inner Sydney. His passion for his subject is inspiring. I now find myself looking at Surry Hills in an entirely new way.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Judith Croft 
 
 
 
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Great tour. Elliot is easy to listen to and knows what he is talking about. He makes it so interesting and as I did it with a group he gave more detail on our area of interest.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Paul Miller 
 
 
 
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The Balmain walk was fascinating, standing on the spot of some pretty gruesome crimes. Elliott is very knowledgeable and the photos were helpful to visualise what the area was during the periods being described.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Christina Rose 
 
 
 
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The best price walking in Sydney.  100% satisfaction. Cancellation policy is top tier. If you need to. I can’t wait to do them all. Elliot is the goat. Just finished the tour with Adam Grosetti and the black hand gang. Another great and interesting voyage through the Italian deep crime connection and the QLD canecutters. Highly recommended. Well done Adam. Can’t wait for the book Elliot. It’s gonna be amazing.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Peter O'Brien 
 
 
 
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Great guide, fascinating history. Do yourself a favour and explore Sydney!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Richard Bromley 
 
 
 
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We did the 2 Hour walk on 03/05/2025. The history and the stories that Elliot shared with us was great. He even keeps you in the story process as to guess the outcome. His knowledge and Photos throughout the walk, 2nd to none. Would highly recommend this tour. Thank You Elliot.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kris Isemonger 
 
 
 
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Spent a fascinating three hours walking Surry Hills with Elliot, an incredible storyteller who brought the area’s pub culture and past vividly to life. I knew very little about this side of Sydney, and suddenly the streets were full of characters, history and colour. Informative, entertaining and eye‑opening — I’ll never walk Surry Hills the same way again.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
    
 
 

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