Kings Cross Sydney, New South Wales |
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Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross
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Coordinates | 33°52′25″S 151°13′25″E / 33.87373°S 151.22357°ECoordinates: 33°52′25″S 151°13′25″E / 33.87373°S 151.22357°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 20,018 (2001) | ||||||||||||||
Location | 2 km (1 mi) east of Sydney CBD | ||||||||||||||
LGA(s) | City of Sydney | ||||||||||||||
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Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney. It is bounded by the suburbs of Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay, Rushcutters Bay and Darlinghurst.
Colloquially known as The Cross, the area is known as Sydney's red-light district, and is reputed to be home to organised crime groups. Once known for its music halls and grand theatres, it was rapidly transformed after World War II by the influx of troops returning and visiting from the nearby Garden Island naval base. Today, it is a mixed locality offering both services (railway, gyms, supermarket, bakeries) to nearby residents and entertainment venues including bars, restaurants, nightclubs, brothels and strip clubs to visitors.
The intersection of William Street, Darlinghurst Road and Victoria Street at the locality's southernmost limit was named Queen's Cross to celebrate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee in 1897. Confusion with Queen's Square in King Street in the city prompted its renaming as Kings Cross, after King Edward VII, in 1905.
During the early 19th century the Darlinghurst area, which extended to include current day Kings Cross, was one of Sydney's most prestigious locations. Being far enough to escape the noise and smell of the central city but close enough for easy travel. An additional attraction was the commanding harbour views to the east and north and (from some points) views to the west as far as the Blue Mountains.