Melbourne Gay District: Collingwood

Unlike other cities in the world like Madrid or San Francisco, Melbourne does not have a designated gay area. Instead, a series of gay bars, gay clubs, and gay saunas populate different parts of the city. 

To the north of Melbourne, Collingwood is arguably the city’s main gayborhood, with the Smith Street and neighboring streets offering plenty of LGBTQ life. Start your evening at popular Melbourne gay bar, Sircuit, then finish things up on the crowded - but fun - dancefloor at nearby gay club, The Peel. You can expect pop tunes here, and many local gay boys dancing until the wee hours of the morning. 

As the name would suggest, this club is located on Peel Street, and on the same stretch you will find one of the best Melbourne gay cruising venues, Club80. This is a gay sauna and fetish club for the gay, bi, and curious men of the city. 

Head south of the river, and you’ll reach Melbourne’s second gayborhood, Prahran. This is the city’s original gay area, and while the number of gay bars and gay clubs may have been lost to other LGBTQ areas like Collingwood and the CBD, the gay spirit of Prahran still burns bright. The majority of action can be found on Commercial Road, while some gay cruising venues and saunas are located on the neighboring backstreets.