Make your way to King George Square where you meet your guide to start your journey into the underbelly of Brisbane. Expect to walk at a leisurely pace and cover about 1.5 miles (3 kilometers) over three hours as you learn about the seedy past in Queensland's capital.

Founded in 1824 as a penal outpost of New South Wales, Brisbane was where Australia's most notorious criminals were sent for lives of hard labor and punishment. See relics built by prison work crews, such as the Old Windmill and the Commissariat Store, and walk along William and Queen streets to discover where sites like the Commandant’s Cottage and Military Barracks lie beneath the city’s grand colonial architecture.

Along the way, your guide shares stories about the difficulties Aboriginal people faced due to the new arrivals and describes key figures in the penal colony such as the tyrannical commandant Patrick Logan.

When you stroll over to Elizabeth Street, gaze towards the picturesque City Botanic Gardens. It may come as a surprise to find out the vibrant neighborhood was once known as Frog’s Hollow, a swampy area with a red-light district filled with opium dens, gambling parlors, and sly-grog shops (unlicensed liquor sellers).

From there, take a walk to the Brisbane Arcade, the location for a butcher shop founded by Patrick Mayne in 1849. Rumor has it Mayne acquired the funds to open the shop after brutally murdering a man and stealing his money.

Near Adelaide and Creek streets, your guide explains the 1942 Battle of Brisbane when United States military personnel and Australian servicemen, who were allies on World War II battlefields, rioted and fought against each other for two nights in the streets of Brisbane.

From the steps of the imposing Supreme Court building, learn about the findings of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, a 1980s investigation that exposed widespread political corruption and the Queensland Police Department's involvement in organized crime.

Your tour ends at the Queen Street Mall. If you like, join your guide and new friends at one of Brisbane’s excellent bars to sip a craft beer or cider (own expense).