[17] The Black Uhlans were initially established as the Banshees during the 1970s by ten former members of the Wollongong-based Fourth Reich Motorcycle Club who had fled to Queensland to avoid facing criminal charges from an apparent rape case they were linked to.

[16] After acquiring a recipe from ex-Hells Angels member Peter Hill to concoct the stimulant drug known as "speed", Black Uhlans co-founder John Higgs constructed a lucrative narcotic network for the club - which proved to be extremely profitable.

[22][23][24] In addition to generating income from organized crime operations, the Black Uhlans Motorcycle Club has also made money from financial investments in lawful business ventures such as (alleged) retirement homes in the city of Melbourne.

[27] High-ranking Black Uhlans member Sydney "Syd" Collins was reported missing on September 1, 2002 during a trip from his Gold Coast residence to northern New South Wales to recover an underworld debt.

[29][30] A brief representation of the Black Uhlans MC (under a fictitious name) was depicted on the two-part miniseries Underbelly Files: Chopper, which stars Todd Lasance as Sydney "Syd" Collins.