Take prostitutes, convicts, and the bubonic plague, sprinkle in a healthy dose of union agitators and razor-wielding gangs, and you have the makings of central Sydney’s Rocks neighborhood. During this 3-hour Rocks Walking Tour, we’ll focus on Sydney’s social history, from the convict settlements located here in the 19th century to more recent immigrant groups and their struggles for equality. Along the way, we’ll uncover a dynamic portrait of multicultural and multifaceted Sydney, one rich in stories and colorful personalities.

We’ll start along the western edge of Sydney Cove, where we’ll begin at the beginning—the arrival of the First Fleet. But, unlike the more traditional course through the political history of Sydney’s early history, we’ll veer into social history and look at how immigrants, workers, women, families, and—yes—convicts shaped this city over two centuries into a leading global metropolis.

During our time together, we’ll visit a variety of monuments, from historic homes like Cadman’s Cottage to archaeological sites like the Big Dig under the Sydney YHA. This will enable us to discuss the presence of the Cadigal people in this area before European contact, and the successful waves of immigrants who settled here, from the European dockworkers in the 19th century to Chinese merchants in the 20th. We’ll wander the narrow, picturesque alleys crisscrossing the shadows of the Harbor Bridge, looking at how different groups inhabited and made their living here, from the shop owners along Gloucester Street or the strumpets (prostitutes) who contributed mightily to the economic vitality of this area in the 19th century.

We will also look at the labor movement in Australia, which had a strong presence in the Rocks, partly due to the Harbor Bridge construction project. We’ll spend a good amount of time in the shadow of the bridge, or perhaps climb its pylon, and learn about the green bans, a labor protest movement aimed at preventing the destruction of historic buildings and the gentrification of the neighborhood.

At the end of our time together, we’ll have a better idea of the social forces at work in Sydney over time and how different groups of settlers have each made a contribution to the character of the city.