Hay Street, Kalgoorlie

Hay Street

Hay Street is a street in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. For most of the history of Kalgoorlie, it was a notorious red light area.[1]

The prevalence of brothels was part of the law and order issue of an isolated mining town, where two-up, prostitution and gold stealing were all regularly reported forms of criminality.

The street and its associations would regularly be reported in mainstream media.[2][3][4]

Towards the end of the twentieth century the prostitution was less infamous, and photographs and stories were more public than in earlier times.[5][6][7][8]

Regulation[9] and prohibition of the prostitution in the street have been publicly discussed a number of times by the local government and citizens of Kalgoorlie.[10]

As of July 2019 one brothel continues to operate.[11]

The street, being close to the town centre, has a number of important administration buildings, and other businesses.

References

  1. ^ "Prostitution". Western Australian Museum. Government of Western Australia. 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2024. Prostitutes appeared on the streets of Kalgoorlie from its earliest days. [...] In 1902 west Brookman Street was re-gazetted as Hay Street and became the famous 'red light district' of Kalgoorlie. Prostitutes had to register with the police, live in the brothels where they were employed and could not socialise with the local community. The regulations were enforced by local police in cooperation with brothel madams, despite a lack of formal authority. It was not until 1995 that prostitutes were allowed to live in private accommodation and be part of the community.
  2. ^ Haselhurst, David (10 July 1984), "Sounding the drums of Kalgoorlie: prostitution", Bulletin (Sydney) (10 July 1984): 48–50, ISSN 1440-7485
  3. ^ Egan, Colleen (23 February 1995), "Proper madams", Australian (23 Feb 1995): 11, ISSN 1038-8761
  4. ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Radio National (19 August 2005), Beautiful ladies, pretty lights - a history of Kalgoorlie's brothels, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 5 March 2017
  5. ^ Smith, Robin (Robin Vaughan Francis) (1988), Prostitutes being displayed in brothel hallways on Hay Street, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, 1988, retrieved 5 March 2017
  6. ^ Garwood, Roger (1990), Brothel at 141 Hay Street, Kalgoorlie (BA2531/850), retrieved 5 March 2017
  7. ^ Ainslie, Trish; Garwood, Roger, 1945- (1992), Stella, Hay Street, Kalgoorlie, retrieved 5 March 2017{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Ainslie, Trish; Garwood, Roger, 1945- (1990), Hay Street, Kalgoorlie, 1990, retrieved 5 March 2017{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "Fined for brothels". The Canberra Times. Vol. 41, no. 11, 691. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 18 May 1967. p. 10. Retrieved 5 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Controversy rages over Kalgoorlie's street of sin". The Canberra Times. Vol. 52, no. 15, 590. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 29 May 1978. p. 2. Retrieved 5 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ Jarrod Lucas (9 July 2019). "Kalgoorlie's 'Pink House' the last brothel standing on Hay Street's historic red-light district". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 11 January 2020.