Under 18 and Looking for Queer Community? Here's Where to Go

If you're an under 18 girl who's queer, questioning, or just figuring things out, you might have come across a sapphic social group and found out it's 18+. That's the case with a lot of adult community spaces, including ours.  It's because the conversations at those events are adult ones. 

The good news: Australia has a solid network of youth-specific LGBTQIA+ groups built exactly for people your age. Here's how to find one near you.

Start here: Minus18

Minus18 is Australia's main charity for LGBTQIA+ youth, and it's the best first stop for under-18s anywhere in the country.

They run free, alcohol-free, in-person events across Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, including the well-known Queer Formal, dance parties, low-sensory events, and regular Queer Teen Socials. Since 2011, more than 60,000 LGBTQIA+ young people have been to a Minus18 event, and 98% say it left them feeling more positive about who they are. Most people make a new friend there too.

Minus18 currently covers ages 13–19 (check each event page, as this is shifting to 13–18 from August 2026). Everyone on their team holds a Working With Children Check, and events are drug, smoke and alcohol-free with youth workers and first aid on site.

Their youth directory (on the Minus18 website) is genuinely the fastest way to find a group near you — you can filter by state and by "18 and under."

Find a group in your state

Most states have a dedicated LGBTIQA+ youth service. These usually cover a wide age range (often 12–25), with specific under-18 groups sitting inside them.

NSW — Twenty10. Specialist LGBTIQA+ youth service for 12–25 year olds. Runs GLAM, a fortnightly social group for 12–17s at Manly (no need to book ahead), plus programs through the Inner West Pride Centre and the annual Camp Out for 13–17s.

VIC — Rainbow Network. A big searchable directory of Victorian youth groups, including council-run ones like Free 2 Be Me (Knox, ages 11–14), The Space (Melton), Rainbow Valley (Moonee Valley) and Pride Space (Casey, ages 10–17).

QLD — Open Doors Youth Service. Queensland's dedicated LGBTIQAP+ and Sistergirl/Brotherboy youth service for 12–24 year olds, with a specific under-18 group and hubs in Brisbane and Logan. Regional Queensland also has headspace-run groups like Rainbow Chaos (Ipswich) and Starburst (Indooroopilly).

WA — Freedom Centre. A peer-led drop-in centre for LGBTIQA+ young people under 26, with a dedicated under-18s drop-in (12–17) plus outreach in Bunbury, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie.

SA — FEAST and headspace. Adelaide has several options: FEAST's Queer Youth Drop-In (15–26), headspace Port Adelaide's Rainbow Group (12–17), and Skylight's Southern Youth Rainbow Space (15–25). Minus18 also runs its Queer Formal here.

ACT — headspace Queanbeyan and A Gender Agenda. headspace runs an LGBTQIA+ group for 12–25s, and A Gender Agenda supports trans, intersex and gender-diverse people in the Canberra region.

TAS — Working It Out. Tasmania's specialist LGBTIQA+ service, with support groups including outSPACE for school-aged young people, plus coffee catch-ups and game nights in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.

NT — NTAHC. Runs the Rainbow Inclusion program in Darwin. Fewer dedicated under-18 groups here, so headspace and school-based options are worth checking too.

Other ways to find something local

• Ask at school. Lots of Australian high schools have a Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) or a wellbeing/rainbow club. Your school counsellor or wellbeing coordinator will know.
• Check your local council's youth services page. Search "[your council] LGBTIQ youth group" — this is more common than people expect.
• Look up headspace. Use their centre finder and check each centre's group page, since offerings vary by location.
• Search Humanitix and Eventbrite for "queer youth" or "rainbow youth" events near you, and check the host is an established group (more on that below).
• Call QLife on 1800 184 527 (3pm–midnight, every day). It's phone and webchat only, not in-person events, but the peer supporters can point you to a local group.

If you're outside Australia

• United States: GSA Network connects school-based Genders & Sexualities Alliance clubs. PFLAG has over 400 chapters and 200,000 members across the country with in-person meetings. The Trevor Project runs TrevorSpace, a moderated online community, alongside its crisis line.
• United Kingdom: Just Like Us supports school Pride Groups. Mermaids runs in-person and online groups for trans and gender-diverse young people. Consortium's directory lists local LGBT youth groups by region.
• New Zealand: RainbowYOUTH runs drop-in centres and youth-led groups in Auckland, Tauranga, New Plymouth and Wellington, with peer support alternating between 13–18 and 18–27 age groups.
• Anywhere else: search "[your city] LGBTQ youth group." Favour groups attached to an established charity, community health service, council or school over informal online-only meetups.

Before you go to your first event

• Tell a trusted adult where you're going, who's running it, and when you'll be back.
• Check the group is legitimate: a real website, a named contact, and a clear child-safety policy are good signs. Established groups (like Minus18) are upfront about this.
• Check the age range fits you — genuine youth groups list clear age bands and have youth workers on site.
• Consider bringing a friend, especially the first time. Most groups welcome this.
• If anything feels off, leave and tell your trusted adult. QLife (1800 184 527) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) are there if you need to talk.
  
  

This guide is a starting point, not a complete list. Details, age ranges and event calendars change, so always check the group's own page before heading along.# Where Queer Teen Girls in Australia Can Find Safe, Real-Life LGBTQIA+ Community (A Referral Guide)

TL;DR

• Minus18 is the single best national starting point for under-18 queer Australians: it runs free, child-safe, alcohol-free in-person events (Queer Formal, dance parties, Queer Teen Socials) for teens aged 13–19, and hosts a national directory of 100+ local LGBTQIA+ youth groups searchable by state and by age filter ("18 and under").
• For everyday, local, drop-in style connection, point under-18s to state youth services (Twenty10 in NSW, Freedom Centre/WAAC in WA, Open Doors in QLD, Working It Out in TAS, and headspace centres nationally that run LGBTQIA+ groups), plus council youth services and school Gender & Sexuality Alliances — most cover ages 12–25 and many have dedicated under-18 groups.
• Always steer young people (and their parents) toward safeguarding-accredited, established organisations — ones that hold Working With Children Checks, follow the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, or hold Rainbow Tick accreditation — and pair the referral with brief, practical first-visit safety tips.