One year on as Thorne Harbour

12 Jul 2019
12 July 1983 - With the successful decriminalisation of homosexuality a couple years earlier, we were only just starting to see the fruits of gay and lesbian liberation when the storm clouds of an emerging health crisis started to gather.
During a community meeting at the Laird Hotel, a brave cohort of individuals put their hand up to be part of the creation of the Victorian AIDS Action Committee. Their foresight, courage, and sense of justice set the foundation of what is now Australia’s oldest HIV/AIDS organisation and one of the largest LGBTI health organisations in the country.
Last year we entered the next stage in our evolution. We’ve gone from the Victorian AIDS Action Committee to Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’s Community Health Centre to VicAIDS to VAC. Drawing inspiration from community activists like Alison Thorne and Keith Harbour, we are now Thorne Harbour Health – committed to advocating for the health and wellbeing of our gender, sex, and sexually diverse communities.
One year on, we’re still telling our origin story to stakeholders who may not understand the transition, and that’s ok. In fact, it is a great opportunity. As the recent Stonewall anniversary reminds us, it is paramount that we not forget our past. It offers a fundamental lesson about the importance of community mobilisation and activism.
One year on, we’re still telling our origin story to stakeholders who may not understand the transition, and that’s ok. In fact, it is a great opportunity. As the recent Stonewall anniversary reminds us, it is paramount that we not forget our past. It offers a fundamental lesson about the importance of community mobilisation and activism.
Our history also teaches us about the importance of unwavering commitment.
Following the lifesaving introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996, a collective sigh of relief swept through our community. After years of caring for and supporting our communities in the face of a deadly epidemic, many were in desperate need of respite, but there was still so much work to be done.
We have come a long way, but there is still so much work to be done.
While some in our community are still catching our breath after a divisive and vitriolic public debate about marriage equality, the current dialogue around religious discrimination threatens our progress toward equality, respect and inclusion.
In 1975, the inaugural National Homosexual Conference asked ‘can gay men and lesbian women work together?’ here in Melbourne. Today, we continue to work through issues of cooperation and intersectionality with a far more diverse collection of communities. Our priorities and paths often vary, but we share a collective vision – to advance our communities toward a society of shared dignity and equality.
Thirty-six years later, the values to get us there are much the same – leadership, diversity, inclusion, justice, courage, and optimism. Optimism can often be the most evasive in the face of the seemingly endless array of battles our communities face. It is a vital ingredient though, without it we lose the fuel to keep moving toward a better future.
In other news
16 Jul 2025
Silver Rainbow Training Expands to Better Support LGBTIQ+ Elders
Since Thorne Harbour Health began delivering Silver Rainbow Training (SRT) sessions in late April 2025, we’ve keenly worked to support Aged Care professionals in understanding the unique challenges faced by LGBTIQ+ elders.Participants have left our sessions with their eyes open to issues and situations that hadn’t previously occurred to them and enjoy having their perspectives challenged so they are more sensitive to the needs of LGBTIQ+ elders. Feedback following Silver Rainbow Training suggests that staff feel more able to deliver holistic care to their clients.In the past two months, we’ve conducted one online and six face-to-face SRT sessions, some of which included HIV 101 education components delivered by our HIV peer navigator. A Community of Practice session was also held in May, providing an opportunity for professional networking and sharing of experiences.SRT has reached 120 staff members across six organisations, including an Emergency Department, an Aged Care facility, a health network organisation, and three mental health organisations. The training has been delivered to five metro and one regional organisation, with our primary focus on Health Justice, aiming to create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for all.
26 Jun 2025
5 Ways for Queer People to Recognise NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week is Australia’s biggest celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Unlike other important First Nations days of awareness—such as Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week—that focus on how other Australians can address colonisation, NAIDOC is specifically about celebrating First Nations culture.