The Scarlet Mile : A History of Prostitution in Kalgoorlie

Yet while the 'scarlet women' - the 'harlots' of the gold-fields - were vilified and demonised in print, they were welcomed with open arms by lonely men living in the tent cities of the desert during the gold rush.

That welcome continues to this day, and Kalgoorlie's red-light precinct has become one of its most famous tourist attractions. "The Scarlet Mile" is a compelling and fascinating social history of prostitution in Kalgoorlie, where the local brothels and the police station have shared the same street for more than a century.