What YOU...
NEED TO KNOW
to survive the streets
...and COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS)
A go to guide for folks who are homeless or sleeping rough in Melbourne
Created by people who were and are homeless
FOOD
FOOD
Some places we think are good for a feed in the city…
| ORGANISATION | LOCATION | SERVICES |
| St Peters
Anglican Church 9662 2391 |
15 Gisborne Street
East Melbourne |
Breakfast 7am-8:30am
Takeaway |
| Salvation Army Cafe | 69 Bourke Street, Melbourne, City | Monday to Friday.
9am-2pm Breakfast and Lunch |
| From Us 2 You
Facebook group – FromUs2You |
Batman Park
(Near Blue Tongue Bikes) |
Tuesday & Thurs 1:30 – 3pm
Sunday from 10am *Give out pads and tampons |
| The Big Umbrella | Corner of Russel St and Flinders St (behind Arts Centre) | Weds and Thurs 6:30pm – 8pm
Often have clothes and sleeping gear |
| St Vinnies
1800 305 330 |
(Mon-Fri 10-3) | Call for food hampers or vouchers to be delivered to you |
| Various Charities | Victoria Markets | Mon 8pm, Tues, 7pm
Weds 6pm, Thurs 8:30pm, Weekends 6pm |
SHOWERS & LAUNDRY
These services have re-opened again after a long time of being closed. Here’s some places we’ve been too…
| Service | Showers | Laundry | Details |
| cohealth central city
53 Victoria St City 9448 5536 |
Mon-Fri
10am – 4 Last shower booking is 2:30pm. |
Mon – Fri
10 – 4 |
Can call and book or turn up and book at reception |
| St Mary’s House of Welcome
165/169 Brunswick St Fitzroy |
Mon-Fri
9am-11am |
For rough sleepers & people in crisis | |
| Living Room
7-9 Hosier Lane City 9945 2100 1800 440 188 |
Mon ,Wed, Thurs, Fri
9:30 – 12:30 1pm-4pm Tues 9:30 -12:30 Sat 11am – 4 |
Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 9:30 – 12:30 1pm-4
Tues 9:30-12:30 Sat 11am – 4 |
First in best dressed |
MOBILE LAUNDRY & SHOWER SERVICES!
Look up this website OR click following link:
Put in a location and you’ll find a number of places to do laundry or have a shower.
Some services provide pads & tampons
cohealth Central City (see above)
From Us 2 You (see previous page)
Period Project –contact facebook group
SAFETY
Not everyone who’s homeless uses drugs, but some of us do & we need to stay safe.
Here’s a list of places where you can get clean syringes.
| Service | Details |
| Foot Patrol
1800 700 102 0412 155 491 Call them to come to you |
Mon – Fri 11.45am -11.15pm,
Sat – Sun 12noon – 3.45pm 7.30pm -11.15pm. |
| Harm Reduction Victoria
128 Peel St Nth Melbourne 9329 1500 |
Mon-Fri 10am – 6pm |
| Innerspace
4 Johnston Street, Collingwood 9448 5530 |
Mon – Thurs 9am-5pm
Clean syringes handed out at front desk |
| Syringe Dispensing Machines | 75 Brunswick St Fitzroy
365 Hoddle St Collingwood |
| Health Works
4-12 Buckley St Footscray 9448 5511 |
Mon-Fri 10am -5pm |
WORDS FROM US…
“Be safe and clean”
“Dispose of your syringes thoughtfully”
HEALTH & DENTAL
HEALTH
An understanding GP, nurse or health service is important. Here some clinics we like and recommend.
| CLINIC | DETAILS |
| Living Room
7-9 Hosier Lane, City 9945 2100 1800 440 188 |
MONDAY 9.30am – 4pm |
| Thorne Harbour
200 Hoddle St Abbotsford 9865 6700 |
For LGBTI + communities
STI treatment/HIV treatment Add hours |
| After hours GP helpline | Call healthdirect free* on 1800 022 222 |
| Sexual Health Centre
580 Swanston St Carlton 1800 032 017 |
Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm
*Free testing |
| Cohealth
75 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy 9448 5531 Innerspace 4 Johnston Street Collingwood |
Mon- Fri 9am -5pm.
Mon-Fri 10:30 – 5pm |
| Rhed Sexual Health Clinic
22-28 Fitzroy St St Kilda 1800 458 752 |
For sex workers |
DENTAL
All folks who are homeless get priority access to community dental services. A letter from a support worker explaining your situation will help but it is not necessary
Call 9341 1000 to find a community dentist
Here are the details for 3 in the city area that we have been to.
| CLINIC | DETAILS |
| Royal Dental Hospital
720 Swanston St Carlton |
Make an appointment or turn up as soon as the doors open (no later)
If it is an emergency, you can walk in off the street and you will be seen eventually but get there before 8:30am |
| Cohealth Central City
53 Victoria Street Melbourne Monday – Friday 9448 5536 |
Rock up to Central City, call or get help from a worker to book in to a Cohealth dental service in Kensington, Niddrie or Footscray |
| North Richmond Community Health 23 Lennox Street RichmondMonday, Wednesday, Friday 9am-5pm Tuesday, Thursday 9am-8pm 9418 9800 |
LIBRARIES
“More than just places with books!”
Many people experiencing homelessness find libraries to be warm, safe and welcoming spaces.
Memberships are free and you can book rooms, print, copy and scan, use the internet and check out community notices.
| LOCATIONS OF LIBRARIES IN THE CITY |
| City Library 253 Flinders Lane, City |
| Kathleen Syme Library 251 Faraday Street, Cartlon |
| Southbank Library 207 City Road, Southbank |
| East Melbourne Library 122 George St, East City |
| Library at the Dock 107 Victoria Harbour, Promenade Docklands |
Most Libraries offer free seminars, courses, exhibitions and classes. Some have free craft classes, drumming classes, book clubs, recording studios and sewing machines.
Ask about these at a library or search online: Libraries City of Melbourne
DID YOU KNOW THERE'S A LIBRARY SOCIAL WORKER?
She works at the City Library
Monday - Friday
9am -5pm
Book an appointment with any librarian or call 0466927400
FREE THINGS TO DO IN THE CITY
Here are some suggestions of ways to entertain yourself and feel part of the city
| ACTIVITY | WHERE, WHEN, ETC |
| Free Activities at Fed Square fedsquare.com/events/free-workshops |
Thai Chi – Every Tuesday in 2021 7:30am – 8:30am Check out other ones online |
| Cohealth Kangas 9448 5536 |
Footy team that’s free to join. Lots of fun. Games played in a variety of suburbs. |
| National Gallery of Victoria St Kilda Road |
10-5 every day Main Section is Free but special exhibitions are not. |
| Visit a Church | Opening times ranges A quite places. |
"Do you have a worker? Some services often have free passes to activities like pools and gyms. Ask about this!" Robert.
| INTERESTS | WHATS ON? | WHEN? |
| Do you like History? | Ned Kelly Exhibition State Library |
15th April 2021 – 31 December 2022 Check out his Armour! FREE ENTRY |
| Are you interested in Films, TV & Video Games? | VISIT ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Imagine) |
Monday – Tuesday 12pm – 5pm Wednesday – Saturday 12pm – 7pm Sunday 11am – 6pm FREE ENTRY |
| Do you Enjoy plays, music, art and dance? Celebrate Indigenous Culture | Yirramboi Festival First Nations Arts Festival |
6th -16th May 2021 yirramboi.com.au lots of free events |
| Do you like being around people and markets? | WINTER NIGHT MARKET Queen Vic Markets |
WEDNESDAYS 5pm-10pm June 2nd – July 14th FREE ENTRY but food will cost. Live Music, crowds. |
| do you like being in Nature? | Parks and Gardens | Royal Botanic, Princes Park, Carlton Gardens, Treasury Gardens. FREE ENTRY and Toilets |
GETTING YOUR ID SORTED
Not having photo ID is a common problem when you’re homeless.
WORDS FROM US…
“When I was sleeping rough the first time – I was robbed and had my passport, learners and birth certificate stolen and I am still trying to get them back after 5 months, it affects me with police because I can’t prove who I am and it is also hard to buy things like cigarettes.”
“Having no photo ID was crippling beyond belief, I tried to get a hotel room on pay day but that was impossible without ID. You are a second class citizen in your own country without ID”
THERE IS HELP OUT THERE
You don’t have to deal with having no photo ID on your own
If you have a worker, ask them to help you. If you don’t have a worker, drop in to a service and ask for help.
SOLUTION No Medicare card? Call 132 011. You’ll be asked ‘security’ questions and then send out your new card. If you have no address – give them a service address. Got a birth certificate & Medicare or health care card? Go to a post office, ask for a proof of age application. It’s only $10. Get help with the paperwork if you need. No birth certificate and need photo ID? Births Deaths and Marriages have special programs to help people who are homeless. Your worker/a service can connect you with these.
Melbourne CBD Amenities and Services
Toilets
|
On-street public toilets Public toilets in the City of Melbourne are open 7am – 7pm on weekdays, 9am – 5pm on weekends and public holidays. Exeloos or the silver on-street toilets are the only toilets open 24hrs. Most public toilets are locked at nights. |
Most shopping centres have public toilets Target Emporium Major train stations Southern Cross Flagstaff Gardens |
Free Laundry Services
|
cohealth Central City 9448 5536 – Limited availability
Mon – Fri, 9.30am – 2.30pm St Marks Community Centre Mon – Fri, 10:30 – 2:30pm |
Orange Sky free laundry @ St Mark’s 250 George St, Fitzroy VIC 3065 11am – 2pm |
WiFi
|
Best free WiFi spots Fed Square Any McDonalds Or look up ‘Vic Free Wifi’ The Living Room has WiFi Salvation Army has WiFi |
Shower services
|
Innerspace Very limited St Marys House of Welcome 9am – 10:30am Salvation Army (Salvos) Lighthouse Café Mon – Fri, 7am – 1pm |
Living Room Mon 9.30am – 4pm Travellers Aid Southern Cross Station Under Bourke St Bridge, opposite Luggage Hall ($5 fee) 7 days, 6.30am – 9.30pm |
Medical
Hospitals
St Vincents Hospital
The Living Room
GPs available by appointment
AND
nurse available for walk-ins
cohealth Central City
GPs, nurses, podiatry
STREET ART
Artwork by people who are experiencing homelessness
Humble Struggle, A Life Not Needed – ARTIST: Josh Sampson
Solo Journey Through The River Of Life – ARTIST: Russel Storey
NEED CRISIS ACCOMMODATION? CALL 1800 825 955