External LGBTIQA+ support in Melbourne
Melbourne is a vibrant and diverse city that proudly hosts large and visible LGBTIQA+ communities. There is a lot of support available to you outside the university, and laws that protect your rights.
Victoria values and supports LGBTIQA+ peoples.
Anyone in Victoria can access Rainbow Door, a free service that connects LGBTIQA+ people to of the services they need.
Anyone in Australia can contact QLife (also called Switchboard) for anonymous, free, LGBTIQA+ peer support and referral. Open 3pm – midnight every day, by phone (1800 184 527) or Webchat.
Some Melbourne centred services, supports & cultural events are listed below. For a more comprehensive and Victoria-wide database, search Rainbow Network or The Victorian Pride Centre Resource Directory.
- 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.
- 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.
- InterLink provides confidential, fee-free short-term counselling to all intersex people, and parents or carers of children with an intersex condition. They also run peer-supported groups for various age-groups.
- Charlee is a peer-led online hub for LGBTIQA+ suicide prevention. It provides easy-to-follow resources information for people seeking support for themselves or others, as well as running bereavement support groups.
- 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.
- Emergency numbers are generally available 24 hours if you need to speak to someone.
- Minus18 is Australia’s youth-driven network for LGBTIQA+ young people. They run events and have many helpful articles, like tips for coming out.
- InterAction for Health and Human Rights is the national body for (and by) intersex people. They provide a wide range of practical resources, education and peer-support.
- TransGender Victoria (TGV) provides resources, advocacy, and support for Victorian trans and gender-diverse people, including financial support for legal name and/or gender changes. They also run Affirmation Station – a dedicated space in Brunswick, Melbourne that provides a variety of gender-affirming services, workshops, social gatherings, and support options.
- Out for Australia provides free support, mentoring and events to help early-career LGBTIQA+ people thrive at work.
- The Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Centre (VEOHRC) provides information on your legal rights and responsibilities, including what to do if you experience discrimination.
- Justice Connect can provide resources, advice and advocacy for a range of legal issues, including discrimination and updating legal documentation.
- You can ask to speak to a Victoria Police LGBTIQA+ Liaison Officer (LLO) for advice, information, referrals or help to report a crime.