External queer support in Melbourne
Melbourne is very queer-friendly and there is a lot of support available to you outside the university.
For groups and services in Victoria outside of Melbourne, search the Rainbow Network website.
- Equinox is a peer-led health and well-being service for the transgender and gender diverse community located in Fitzroy. They use an informed consent model [PDF 268KB], and will use your preferred name and pronouns whilst treating you with respect. Their services include GP healthcare, sexual health, hormone initiation and management, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and counselling.
- Northside Clinic is a GP practice located in Fitzroy North that provides medical care in a safe and queer-friendly environment to the LGBTIQA+ community.
- Prahran Market Clinic is a GP practice located in Prahran that provides medical care in a safe and queer-friendly environment to the LGBTIQA+ community.
- Centre Clinic is a GP practice located in St Kilda that provides medical care in a safe and queer-friendly environment to the LGBTIQA+ community.
- Pronto! provides free, confidential STI and rapid HIV testing for gay men and men who have sex with men, and is located in Fitzroy.
- Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) provides queer-friendly STI testing and is located in Carlton.
- Multi-disciplinary clinics have been established in Preston with Your Community Health and Ballarat with Ballarat Community Health to support individuals looking to socially, medically or legally affirm their gender.
- Drummond St Queerspace provides free or low-cost counselling to individuals, couples, parents and families, as well as groups and social activities for LGBTIQA+ people.
- The Mind Equality Centre provides individual, couples and family counselling, and psychologists identify as members of the LGBTIQA+ community.
- Thorne Harbour Health (previously Victorian Aids Council) provides free or low cost counselling and support groups (including groups for queerphobia, alcohol, and drug use) for LGBTIQA+ people. Thorne harbour also runs Equinox, Centre Clinic and Pronto! (mentioned above), and provides care and support for people living with HIV.
- QHealth is a counselling service for people who would like to talk about the concerns or impacts of their alcohol or other drug use in a confidential, nonjudgmental and queer-affirmative space. All counsellors are LGBTIQA+ identifying.
- Northern Centre Against Sexual Assault (NCASA) provides free therapeutic services to people over the age of 12 years who have experienced sexual assault (past or recent) and their non-offending family members and friends. NCASA also has a counsellor based at the La Trobe Counselling Service in Bundoora one day per week.
- QLife is a national LGBTIQA+ helpline and webchat service staffed by peers (3.00 pm to 12.00 am).
- Emergency numbers are generally available 24 hours if you need to speak to someone.
- Multi-disciplinary clinics have been established in Preston with Your Community Health, and Ballarat with Ballarat Community Health, to support individuals looking to socially, medically or legally affirm their gender.
- Minus18 is Australia’s youth-driven network for LGBTIQA+ young people. They also have many helpful articles and tips for coming out.
- Expression is a free specialist employment service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse or intersex identified people with a disability or mental health condition that may be a barrier to employment.
- Rainbow Network has a comprehensive database that you can search for other queer services and support groups all around Victoria.