The first in-depth study of female same-sex desire in twentieth-century Australia, this book explores the compelling stories of ordinary women who struggled to build lives and express their love for other women in a hostile society. Focusing on Sydney and country New South Wales in the mid-twentieth-century (1930-1978), it traces the development of lesbian culture, identities and gathering places from the interwar period to the first Mardi Gras. Drawing on major oral history interviews, conducted by the author, and archival research, this book offers fascinating new insights into the social and cultural history of mid-twentieth-century NSW.