Meredith from Chillout joins us to discuss Victoria’s longest‑running regional queer festival and teases out its evolution over three decades.

This modest grassroots initiative has grown into a cornerstone event for our diverse LGBTIQA+ communities, and plays a pivotal role in fostering visibility and belonging in rural settings.

Shaped by both tradition and innovation, organising this multi‑day celebration isn’t easy given the limited resources Meredith and the team have to work with.

She speaks with Cal and Jack about how the Chillout team overcome funding constraints, regulatory requirements, and limited people power, and how they hope to do this for years to come.

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.

Director Sophie Hyde and actor Aud-Mason Hyde unpack the new film, Jimpa, tracing the story’s roots to Professor Jim Hyde.

Jim was a pivotal figure in Australia’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and we explore how his legacy informs today’s intergenerational queer conversations.

Cal and Jake reflect on the film’s café scenes, the emotional rehearsal process with older gay men, and the challenges of translating lived trauma into drama.

We also discuss the companion project “The Queer Parts of Us,” a digital archive for community storytelling.

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.

How can we strengthen community ties with a queer Lunar New Year celebration?

James Tapa from Gay Asian Proud (GAP) joins us to discuss the unique challenges faced by multicultural LGBTQ+ people navigating health services, voting, and social belonging in Australia.

He explores with Joel and Jack personal anecdotes about family reunions, lion‑dance performances, and the symbolism behind the zodiac animal of the year.

GAP’s sister group Yellow Kitties is co-hosting the event and we dive into how gender‑specific spaces complement each other.

Whether you’re new to Melbourne’s queer scene or a longtime activist, tune in for insight, inspiration, and a clear invitation to join the celebration.

On JOY 94.9, we play a bunch of new music from Asian-Australian LGBTIQA+ artists, including:

Aisa – Theta Waves
Kaiwyn – Good Boy
Robert Baxter – ICY (Take it Off)
Zhuli – Mitsubishi Sheets
JXCKY – BORDERLINE
Nat Vazer – For What?

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.

We dive into the TV series Heated Rivalry, exploring how the show portrays LGBTQ+ athletes in a mixed‑gender ice‑hockey setting.

Kade and Shell from Southern Lights Hockey join Jack and Jake to discuss their local queer ice-hockey team, the series’ blend of drama and advocacy, and more.

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.

Sarah Hiley, Drug Checking Director at The Loop Australia joins Jack to discuss the Victorian Pill Testing Service and its role in harm‑reduction.

The service will be present at Victoria’s Pride Street Party, offering a safe, non‑judgmental space for festival‑goers to have their substances tested.

Sarah walks us through the testing process, from anonymous sample submission to rapid results, and highlights the limits and accuracy of the analyses.

We also delve into the broader impact of the service, including its contributions to public health data, emergency alerts, and connections to further support.

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.

Jack speaks with Julai Diesel ahead of the THH Vogue Night event running during Midsumma and discuss what the ballroom scene looks like in Melbourne, where it serves as a survival‑focused, queer‑affirming community built around competition, performance, and chosen family.

They speak about the House of Diesel’s origins, its partnership with Thorne Harbour Health, and the ways Australian houses stay connected to the historic U.S. scene.

Nick Henderson from the Australian Queer Archives (AQuA) also talks about the archive’s eclectic collections of traditional documents, punk gear, erotic artifacts, and even hair‑clipping albums, highlighting its role in preserving queer histories.

With the St Kilda Queer History Walking Tour just around the corner, Nick discusses some of the tour’s stops at iconic venues like the Greyhound and the Prince of Wales, illustrating how physical spaces and community memory intersect to keep queer culture alive and visible.

Get tickets for the St Kilda Queer History Walking Tour and the THH Vogue Night on the Midsumma website.

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.

Wise Words returns this Midsumma to feature a line-up of some of Australia’s most prominent and talented LGBTIQ+ women (trans and non-binary inclusive) for an evening of intergenerational storytelling.

Candy Bowers will MC this year’s edition and we hear about her background in acting, production, writing, and more.

Grab tickets to Wise Words on the Midsumma website: https://www.midsumma.org.au/whats-on/events/wise-words-a-night-of-intergenerational-storytelling/

Scott Walsberger from ACON also joins us to discuss cancer screening activations at the 2026 Midsumma Carnival in Alexandra Gardens.

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.

Dylan from the City of Yarra and Tex McKenzie speak about the Yarra Queer History Walk, a guided tour that traces Melbourne’s queer‑footprints through Fitzroy, Collingwood and Abbotsford.

Jack is also joined by Rachel Cook and Chiron Hooson from Thorne Harbour to discuss the Community Periodic Surveys, our presence at Carnival, and more.

Check out our other JOY Podcasts for more on LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing at joy.org.au/wellwellwell.

If there’s something you’d like us to explore on the show, send through ideas or questions at wellwellwell@joy.org.au

Find out more about LGBTIQ+ services and events in Victoria and South Australia at thorneharbour.org and samesh.org.au.