With many businesses, programs and services heading into a customary closure period over Christmas and New Year, it can be difficult to know what options are available should you need access to emergency supports.
Some of Communify’s own emergency supports will also have different operating hours over this upcoming holiday period, but we still want to ensure that our community members are supported. That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive directory of free food services and other emergency services you can access during the Christmas-New Year period.
Food Relief
Food relief services available over Christmas/New Year period
Brisbane North/Inner City/West
The Coffee Brigade Breakfast Van – open 7 days/week including public holidays, offers sandwiches, fruit, hot drinks:
- Stop One: 6:30-7am opposite Fire Station, Ivory St, Fortitude Valley
- Stop Two: 7:10-7:25am Just outside the Holman St Ferry Terminal, Kangaroo Point
- Stop Three: 7:40-8:10am Top of Wickham Park (Cnr Wickham Tce & Albert St, opposite Soho building)
- Extra stop at Bunyapa Park, West End 8:20-8:45am from 26th December – 4th January
Rosies – hot/cold drinks and biscuits, hygiene products, social connection:
- Thursday 26th December 7pm-9pm at Musgrave Park, Russell St Entrance with Orange Sky laundry services (pending volunteer availability)
- Sunday 29th December 7pm-8:30pm at Emma Miller Place, 109 Roma St, Brisbane City
- Monday 30th December 3:30pm-5:30pm at 9 Church St, Fortitude Valley
- Monday 30th December 7:30pm-9:30pm at Emma Miller Place
- Tuesday 31st December 7pm-9pm at Musgrave Park, Russell St Entrance
- Wednesday 1st January 7:30pm-9:30pm at Emma Miller Place
Eddie’s Van Breakfast BBQ – Monday-Friday 6:45am at TCB Stop Three: Top of Wickham Park, cnr Wickham Tce & Albert St. Not open on Christmas Day
3rd Space Cafe – open 28th–31st December for normal food service from 8:30am-2pm at 505 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
Andy’s Place Drop-in Centre – Boxing Day breakfast, hygiene items, board games – 26th December from 8am-11am at St Andrews Uniting Church, 299 Ann St, Brisbane City
Andy’s Place – open 28th December for lunch, 11:30am-1pm, meals served from 12pm. St Andrews Uniting Church, 299 Ann St, Brisbane City
Community Canteen – takeaway boxed meals provided at Wesley Mission Brisbane Relief Hub, 316 St Pauls Tce, Fortitude Valley
- 1pm Sunday 29th December
- 6:30-7pm Monday 30th December
Hampers/food parcels
Brisbane North/Inner City/West
Community Friends – food hampers
- Cnr Thomas St and Vulture St, West End
- Collect between 8am-4pm 7 days a week
- Open over Xmas break
- Contact: 0418 452 067
Trinity Pantry – Christmas food hampers
- 9 Church St, Fortitude Valley
- Hampers available while stocks last until Saturday 21st December
- Collect between 11am-2pm Tuesday-Friday, Centrelink or Pension card required
- Contact: (07) 3852 1635
Red Cross Night Cafe – food and essential items hampers for 12-25 year olds
- 64 Adelaide St, Brisbane City
- Hampers available from 6:30pm-8:30pm on Tuesday 17th and Thursday 19th December
- Contact: 07 3367 7222
Wesley Mission Brisbane Relief Hub – Christmas Red Bags food hampers
- 316 St Pauls Tce, Fortitude Valley
- Available until 12pm Friday 20th December
- Collect between 9:30am-12pm and 1pm-3:30pm Monday-Friday (opening hours subject to staff availability), low income card and photo ID required
- Contact: 07 3271 3592
Brisbane Youth Service – Christmas food hampers for 12-25 year olds
- 518 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
- Contact: (07) 3620 2400
Brisbane South
Citipointe Church Marketplace – emergency hampers
- 336 Scrub Rd, Carindale
- Available until 23rd December
- Collect between 9am-12pm Monday-Friday
- Contact: (07) 3347 5896
Citipointe Community Care – essential items and Christmas gifts
- 322 Wecker Rd, Carindale
- Available until 23rd December
- Collect between 9:30am-12:30pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
- Contact: (07) 3347 5835
Yeronga Community Centre – limited Christmas hampers
- 62 Park Rd, Yeronga
- Subject to availability – contact the centre to reserve a hamper
- Contact: (07) 3848 2285
Mt Gravatt Community Centre – food hampers and toys
- 1693 Logan Rd, Upper Mount Gravatt
- Available for eligible families in the catchment area until 23rd December
- Contact: (07) 3343 9833 or 1300 001 383
A4 Community Services – hampers
- 1693 Logan Rd, Upper Mount Gravatt
- Available for eligible families in the catchment area until 23rd December
- Contact: (07) 3343 9833 or 1300 001 383
Free Community End-of-Year Meals
Before Christmas Day
Brisbane North/Inner City/West
3rd Space Christmas Lunch – Wednesday 18th December 11:30am-2pm at 505 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley. Contact: (07) 3254 1144
West End Community House Backyard Breakfast – Thursday 19th December 6:45am-8am at 4 Norfolk Rd, South Brisbane. Contact: (07) 3217 2333
Valley Hearts & Holy Trinity Community Table Christmas Lunch – Thursday 19th December, starts 12pm at 9 Church St, Fortitude Valley. Contact: (07) 3852 1635
Salvation Army Streetlevel Special Roast Dinner – Thursday 19th December, starts 5pm at 97 School St, Spring Hill. Contact: (07) 3075 4120
Valley Outreach Christmas Breakup – Friday 20th December, starts 5:30pm at cnr Wickham Tce and Albert St, Fortitude Valley. Contact: (07) 3353 1266
Andy’s Place Christmas Meal – Saturday 21st December, 11:30am-1pm at cnr Ann St and Creek St, Brisbane City. Last meal served 12:45pm. Contact: (07) 3108 4644
Fishers of Men Christmas meal, presents, carols – Sunday 22nd December, various locations in Brisbane City. Worry St: 5:15pm; Ann St Cathedral: 5:30pm; Park Hotel: 5:45pm; Roma St: 6pm.
Brisbane South
Yeronga Community Centre Christmas Lunch – Wednesday 18th December, starts 12:30pm at 62 Park Rd, Yeronga. Please call the centre on (07) 3848 2285 prior to the event to register for a seat
Sherwood Neighbourhood Centre free Christmas BBQ – Wednesday 18th December, starts 12pm at 38 Thallon St, Sherwood. Contact: 07 3379 6963
Annerley Baptist Church Christmas Lunch – Monday 23rd December, starts 12:30pm at 560 Ipswich Rd, Annerley. Contact: (07) 3892 2525
On Christmas Day (25th December)
Brisbane North/Inner City/West
Community Friends Christmas Day breakfast and lunch – cnr Vulture St and Thomas St, West End (Bunyapa Park), 7:30am-5:30pm. Contact: 0418 452 067
Village Mosaix Christmas Day BBQ – Kulgun Park, Carraway St, Kelvin Grove, 8am-10am. Contact: 0430 091 922
Community Canteen and Wesley Mission Brisbane Relief Hub Christmas Day lunch – 316 St Pauls Tce, Fortitude Valley, starts 12pm
Wesley House: Albert Street Uniting Church Christmas Day Lunch – 140 Ann St, Brisbane City, 12pm-1:30pm. Free coffee also available from front cafe for those arriving before 12pm
Brisbane South
Stepping Stone Coorparoo Christmas Day Lunch – 9/61 Holdsworth St, Coorparoo, 11:30am-3pm. Contact: (07) 3847 1058
Essential Services
Orange Sky – laundry services and showers
- Wickham Park: 23rd, 24th, 28th, 29th and 30th December, 6:30am-8:30am
- Musgrave Park, Russell St Entrance: 24th, 26th and 31st December, 7pm-9pm; 29th December 6pm-8pm
- Holy Trinity Church, Fortitude Valley: 23rd and 30th December, 4pm-5:30pm (laundry only); 26th December 10:15am-12pm
- Ivory St, Fortitude Valley: 27th December, 6:30am-8:30pm; 28th December 3pm-5pm
- Bunyapa Park, West End: 25th December and 1st January, 2pm-4pm
Housing Support
HART4000 (closed public holidays) – (07) 3004 0100
Sustaining Tenancies (closed public holidays, reduced capacity from 23 Dec-3 Jan) – (07) 3510 2789
Micah Projects 24/7 Home For Good helpline – (07) 3036 4444
Homeless Hotline (24/7) – 1800 474 753
Murri Watch Diversionary Centre (24/7) – 1300 692 824
Home In Place (Compass Housing Services) 24/7 emergency tenancy and maintenance issues – 1300 333 733
Brisbane Youth Service – (07) 3620 2400
BRIC Housing (closed public holidays) – (07) 3230 5555
Health Services
Medicare Urgent Care Clinic – Level 4, 20 Cornwell St, Woolloongabba. Open every day including Christmas Day from 8am-8pm. Free service.
- For non-life-threatening conditions only
- Some access to GPs, no scripts issued
- No appointment necessary, bulk billing available
- Recommended latest arrival time - at least an hour before service closes
- Call (07) 3346 1315 for more information
Our Medical Annerley – 364 Ipswich Rd, Annerley. Open every day including Christmas Day from 8am-10pm.
- For non-life-threatening conditions only
- Full GP service including issuing scripts
- No appointment necessary, bulk billing available
- Recommended latest arrival time - at least an hour before service closes
- Call (07) 3155 6000 for more information
Micah Projects Nurses – after hours nursing support provided at Emma Miller Place, 109 Roma St, Brisbane City, every night from 6pm-8:30pm.
Brisbane City Nurse-led Walk-in Clinic – 316 Adelaide St, Brisbane City. Open every day from 8am-10pm, but closed Christmas Day. Free service.
- For non-life-threatening conditions only
- No Medicare card needed
- Recommended latest arrival time - at least an hour before service closes
Free Family Activities and Events
Brisbane North/Inner City/West
Headspace Strathpine “Beat the Heat” free movie session – Monday 23rd December, 11am-1pm at 441 Gympie Rd, Strathpine. Contact: (07) 3465 3000
Christmas on Queen free live entertainment – 23rd December, 11am-3pm and 24th December, 11am-3pm and 4:30pm-8:30pm in Queen Street Mall
Starz Christmas Spectacular song and dance performances – 23rd and 24th December, 5-7pm (Queen Street Mall) and 7-8pm (King George Square)
City Hall Lights – 23rd and 24th December, 7:30pm-11:55pm at King George Square
Brisbane South
Inala Elders Christmas Market – Wednesday 18th December, 3pm-7pm at The Hub, 79 Poinsettia St, Inala. Contact: (07) 3372 3770
Kummara Inala Christmas Celebration – Friday 20th December, 10am-12:30pm at 59-61 Lorikeet St, Inala. Contact: (07) 3128 0949
St Marks Lutheran Church Free Family Movie Night – Saturday 28th December, starts 6:30pm at 71 Newnham Rd, Mount Gravatt East. BBQ sausage sizzle also available for purchase. Contact: (07) 3349 9512
Emergency Contacts
Australia-wide
- Emergency Services (police, fire, ambulance) - 000
- Lifeline – 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636
- PoliceLink – 13 14 44
- Suicide Callback Service – 1300 659 467
- Gambling Helpline – 1800 858 858
- Anglicare Women and Youth Homeless Shelters – 1300 610 610
- Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800
- Griefline – 1300 845 745
- National Debt Helpline – 1800 650 890
Queensland only
- Family Drug Support (24/7 helpline) - 1300 368 186
- DV Connect - Womensline - 1800 811 811
- DV Connect - Mensline - 1800 600 636
- DV Connect - Sexual Assault - 1800 010 120
- Homeless Hotline – 1800 474 753
- Multicultural Connect Line – 1300 079 020
- Mental Health access line (1300 MH CALL) - 1300 642 255
- QLD Government 13Family Hotline – 13 32 64
