On 4 July 1975, activist and heiress Juanita Nielsen walked into the Carousel Nightclub in Kings Cross and vanished. This course revisits one of Australia’s most haunting unsolved cases and places it in the wider social and political turmoil of the time.
You’ll explore the unanswered questions surrounding her disappearance, the forces she was challenging, and the underworld, development and corruption networks that formed the backdrop to the case. A gripping course for anyone interested in modern Australian history, activism and true crime.
Please ensure your mobile phone number is up-to-date with WEA before enrolling and ensure that you have it with you on the day in case the tutor needs to contact you. Meet at Kings Cross Station 10 minutes before the tour starts so it can commence on time. Please check the Transport NSW website for further travel information on how to get there.
Meeting place: Holiday Inn near Kings Cross Station 10 minutes before the tour
- Victoria St
- Hughes St: Wayside Chapel
- Macleay St
- Fitzroy Gardens, site of the Bourbon & Beefsteak
- Orwell St
- Victoria St, home of Juanita Nielsen
- Earl Place
- Roslyn St, site of the Carousel Club
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Describe the context for Juanita Nielsen’s disappearance: crime, urban development, shifting social structure, the power brokers of Kings Cross.
- Discuss what happened on the day of Juanita’s disappearance and afterwards: the investigations, witnesses, clues, and outcomes.
- Decide what they think happened to Juanita Nielsen.
