The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be…

In Australia, prostitution is pretty much legal. With that obstacle out of the way, the more common laws of economics — such as supply and demand — hold much more sway than in more restrictive places — like much of the US.

One of the consequences is that the high-demand prostitutes tend to get the jobs in the high-demand areas, and the less-desirable ones — the older ones, to be blunt — tend to have to range out a bit to… er… conduct their business. In fact, some of them even set up a regular “circuit” of venues where they can… er… peddle their wares.

A professor studying the phenomenon said the oldest prostitute he interviewed was 58, but heard accounts of some working girls still… er… working into their 60’s and 70’s.

But the absolute best line in the story is this one:

“I’ve likened some of them to traveling musicians, in that some of them might be based in metropolitan centers and they go out and travel — they tour the bush,” Scott told Reuters.

The reporter must have nearly wet himself when the good professor uttered that one…