A Guide to Brothels in Australia and New Zealand

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Australia has a wider selection of legal brothels than any other country in the world.

What separates Aussie brothels from some of the more notorious unlicensed venues abroad is the quality of service. Many of the top establishments in Sydney and Melbourne resemble a 5-star hotel rather than a bordello-of-the-night.

Our brothel guides provide a comprehensive city-by-city breakdown of the top incall venues throughout Australia and New Zealand.

AUSTRALIA BROTHELS 🇦🇺

ADELAIDE

BROTHEL CHOICE
0/10 👎

Brothels are banned in South Australia. The best we can bring you from Adelaide is a selection of erotic body rub alternatives.

BRISBANE

BROTHEL CHOICE
7/10

Brissie’s brothels no longer need to meet strict licensing requirements as of 2024. Most of the major venues are based in the Inner City.

CANBERRA

BROTHEL CHOICE
4/10

Canberra’s brothels are tightly clustered in Fyshwick (Gladstone St) and Mitchell (Grimwade St). Most are exclusively Asian-staffed.

DARWIN

BROTHEL CHOICE
2/10

Sex work has been decriminalised in the NT since 2020, so brothels are technically legal, there just aren’t many of them to choose from. This guide is currently being updated.

Darwin Brothels (TBC)

GOLD COAST

BROTHEL CHOICE
4/10

Gold Coast has a mix of Asian and Western bordellos. There’s not as much choice as Brisbane, but the venues we’ve featured all have a solid rep.

MELBOURNE

BROTHEL CHOICE
10/10

We’ve just added 78 brothels to our latest Melbourne guide. The city offers a mind-boggling array of in-call options, starting at around $130 for 30 minutes.

PERTH

BROTHEL CHOICE
3/10

Perth brothels are technically illegal, but the government of WA has a history of tolerating and regulating them. Some are even tourist attractions! 🤷

SYDNEY

BROTHEL CHOICE
10/10

Sydney is brothel heaven. The CBD alone has over 30 active venues, many of them open 24/7, whilst each of the suburbs (particularly in the west) are well-served.

NEW ZEALAND BROTHELS 🇳🇿

AUCKLAND

BROTHEL CHOICE
9/10

Auckland has an excellent selection of modern brothels. The cheapest charge $150 for 30 minutes, while the luxury establishments start at around $300.

CHRISTCHURCH

BROTHEL CHOICE
5/10

We’ve covered the best-known CHCH bordellos, but there are many pop-up venues around Manchester Street and Ferry Road (there are specific zoning laws).

WELLINGTON

BROTHEL CHOICE
7/10

We believe Wellington has around 20 active brothels. Note that many incall services are run by hybrid escort agencies in private buildings by appointment only (no walk-ins).

For Your Information

Please note: We are not affiliated to any of the brothels listed on this site. If you have any questions, please contact the agent/venue through their respective contact details.

We can’t take bookings on their behalf… since we do not work for them. Sorry!

All of our listings are provided 100% free of charge and are for general informational purposes only. Some details (such as pricing and opening hours) may be subject to change from when our initial research was carried out.

LEGAL STATUS OF BROTHELS

As you can see from our ‘Brothel Choice’ ratings above, some cities are much better than others for satisfying the punters.

This is mostly down to the sex work laws that vary from state to state across Australia (New Zealand is generally more consistent).

We’ve summarised the current laws regarding brothels below.

If you’d like to learn more about current sex work laws, we highly recommend the Scarlett Alliance website, which maintains some excellent resources for both sex workers and their clients.

Current Legal Status of Brothels in Australia

  1. New South Wales (NSW): NSW was the first jurisdiction globally to decriminalise sex work in 1995. All forms of sex work, including brothel-based, escort, and private services, are fully decriminalised, with regulation primarily handled by local councils rather than specific sex work laws.
  2. Victoria: Decriminalisation of sex work in Victoria was completed by 2022. This change eliminated the previous licensing requirements, removed mandatory health checks for sex workers, and included new occupational protections for workers in brothels, escort services, and independent arrangements.
  3. Queensland: In August 2024, Queensland shifted from a licensing model to full decriminalisation. Under the new model, sex workers may work independently, in brothels, or as part of escort services without specific licensing requirements, bringing Queensland in line with NSW and Victoria.
  4. Northern Territory (NT): Decriminalisation took place in the NT in 2020, removing sex work-specific criminal laws and aligning regulation with general business and occupational health and safety standards.
  5. Australian Capital Territory (ACT): ACT employs a licensing model, requiring brothels and escort agencies to obtain licenses. Private sex work is allowed, though street-based work is restricted.
  6. South Australia (SA): SA has considered but not yet passed full decriminalisation, with discussions ongoing. The legal framework is largely restrictive, allowing private sex work but criminalising brothels.
  7. Western Australia (WA): WA maintains a prohibitive approach, criminalising brothel-based sex work while allowing limited private work with restrictions.
  8. Tasmania: Sex work is partially criminalised, with private work permitted under certain conditions, though brothels and solicitation are illegal.

Current Legal Status of Brothels in New Zealand

In New Zealand, sex work is fully decriminalised under the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) of 2003.

This act removed most criminal penalties for adult sex work and introduced a framework to regulate the industry with a focus on health, safety, and worker rights. Under this model, sex workers in New Zealand can legally work in brothels, operate independently, or work as escorts, as long as they are over 18 and citizens or permanent residents (temporary migrants are not permitted to work in the sex industry).

The PRA mandates safe work practices, including the use of condoms, and provides sex workers with legal rights similar to other professions, such as the ability to refuse clients and a right to safe working conditions. Additionally, local councils can establish zoning laws for brothels, though they cannot outright ban sex work in their jurisdictions.

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