our team
Established in 1983 at The Laird, Thorne Harbour Health (formerly the Victorian AIDS Council) is a community-controlled organisation leading the community response to HIV and AIDS alongside a range of issues affecting the health of our LGBTI communities. Thorne Harbour Health provides a range of services, programs, and campaigns to support and advocate for the wellbeing of our gender, sex, and sexually diverse communities. The David Williams Fund is one such service – offering emergency financial assistance to people living with HIV. All funds raised by Northside Bizarre go toward the David Williams Fund.
JOY is Australia’s LGBTIQA+ independent media organisation, made up of the diverse voices of the rainbow. Powered by 300+ volunteers, led by a small leadership team, JOY’s presenters, producers, newsreaders, podcasters and everyone in between, deliver quality community media, every hour, every day of the year. JOY informs, entertains, and empowers rainbow communities across Australia and the world, with the purpose of building a more inclusive society.
You can hear and see stories from the LGBTIQA+ community and our allies on JOY 94.9 Radio (FM and DAB+ trial), online via livestream, in JOY Podcasts and on JOY TV, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week at JOY.ORG.AU.
The Laird, Melbourne, is one of Australia’s longest running gay-owned and operated venues. Since its humble beginnings in 1980, The Laird is now well recognised throughout the gay community, both local and international and like its 'sister-venues’ Club 80 and The Peel, remains a staple of the local scene. In 1998 The Laird and Club 80 were granted ‘Male-only’ status by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in deference to their history and service to the gay community.
While we still maintain this status, a few times a year we open the doors to the community for events such as Vic Leather Open Day (May), Men on Men Open Day (June) and Northside Bizarre (October). Formerly known as "Melbourne's only bear and leather bar", The Laird has progressed over the years to become a haven, meeting place and party space for same-sex attracted CIS and Trans males.
We cater to a wide range of men, and it’s a great place to meet up with locals and visitors from around the world.
Open 7 nights a week, the venue boasts three bars and a massive beer garden downstairs, with unique accommodation upstairs.
Brought on to give the Northside Bizarre's website a fresh, shiny, new coat of paint - Next Neville Media is a new indie production company based in Melbourne, Australia with a finger in everyone's pie.
Next Neville Media encompasses the creation of unique and specialised content ranging anywhere from video productions (short films, event videography, wedding videos, trailers, music videos, commercials) to website design, through to livestreaming, podcast productions, writing, theatre, and even graphic design and illustration.