Lisa B.

I’m a doctor (neurosurgery trainee) and I moved back to Melbourne this year to complete my training. My husband is finishing his medical training in Adelaide, and I last saw him in person 9 months ago due to the border closures. My work days are bizarre, the hospital has transformed into some kind of plastic- wrapped dystopia, and everyone is starting to turn on each other. I started growing vegetables on my balcony from seed as something I could control and nurture. This is a tomato plant that I’m going to gift to my friend.

Harry A.

I’m a 24 queer male that worked in hospo/events, so I’ve been stood down since March. Using this as a vacation with myself.

I’m a 24 year old queer male from Perth and I’ve been stood down since March. Since there’s virtually no hospitality work, I’ve treated isolation like a vacation. The item I’m holding is my boarding pass.

Dettol.

Jaxon is turning 21 soon, lost his job at Mollie’s, and is a phenomenal drag queen.

Kyra P.

I’ve just returned to
Fitzroy after three years away. I’ve been exploring life in Tasmania, Canggu, Mullum and Berlin.
I got back just as we all retreated into isolation. I’m back in my home neighbourhood, but I don’t yet have a home. I’m subleasing here till the world turns right side up again. There’s got to be a few people who don’t really have a home at a time when we’re forsced to ‘stay home’.

Leila K.

I’m a 28 year old Londoner on my partner’s visa. Was recently let go from my hospitality job so I’m embracing unemployment by doing some freelance work and catching up on creative projects as well as watching films, TV and reading. Item TBC.

Tommy M.

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Nicole H.

I’m 34 and my partner and I have a 2 year old son. He is normally heavily involved in his grandparents’ lives and we’ve isolated ourselves from them. He misses them, they miss him and we realise how lucky we were with family support. My comfort item is my son, Frank.

Ana M.

I am a 24 year old from Melbourne. A trained dancer and complete neurotic at times. I've just moved back home with the fam after living in Perth for 5 years. I find it hard to sit still and am already brewing up ideas as to how I'm gonna be able to keep moving without being able to leave the house if we end up in total lockdown. In my hand is a yoga mat, stretching and moving will keep me sane through this bizarre and uncertain period.

Lisa T.

I'm a 46 year old from Melbourne who lives alone. I work part time and am a masters student.

I work in healthcare with people who have compromised immune systems, and am walking into the next weeks and months with trepidation. I'm frightened of making a patient sick if I pick up the virus and don't know. I'm frightened of how overwhelmed our health system is likely to become. I'm angry at the choices the federal government has made around COVID-19.

There are 2 items I'd like to hold - a Buddha statue gifted to me representing my spiritual practice which will help me live moment to moment, and Behrouz Bouchani's book, No Friend but the Mountain, to remind me what real isolation is.

Axl M.

Im a 25 year old originally from the Gold Coast, I was lucky enough to just secure full time work prior to the rapid spread of the virus. I’m living with four others who like me are so grateful and lucky enough to be working from home at this time. The item in my hand is a gift from a friend for my Birthday last October, it’s a Patti smith book that I now have the time and patience to finish, it’s things like this that will get me through.

Bob D.

You’ll find me amongst the humans outside the Evelyn Hotel. I’d be standing there now with a bottle cap in my mouth if it wasn’t for this pandemic closing pubs. I miss making the humans toss the caps for me. One day they’ll be back outside the Evelyn, slurping yellow water from their bowls. I’ll be there showing them who the real Mayor of Fitzroy is. Anyway, where were we? John, pass me a dart and rub my back.

Ella P.

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Carolyn C.

My name is Carolyn, i'm 30-years-old and I live with my partner Felicia in our tiny one bedroom apartment. I've lived in Melbourne for the past seven years and am self-employed. I normally work from home, however it is very different from being in self-isolation. I cope with working from home normally by having quite an active social life outside of the house whether it be catching up with mates at the pub, hanging out in Edinburgh Gardens, or going out for dinner. Work-wise most of my work has been damage control due to COVID-19, however now that businesses have closed their doors i'm likely to loose most of my clients over the next week or two. Just taking things day by day at this stage. The item i'm going to hold is one of my indoor plants. They've always given me sanity being inside as I love nature and watching things grow. They remind me that you need to take care and that things will continue to grow, even long after this pandemic.

Sophie T.

I am a 25 year old who was recently living out my childhood dream working in the film industry, but, due to the cinema I work at being shut, I have been made temporarily redundant. I've been extremely fortunate to find some freelance work to do for the new few months, so I am working heard at keeping this temporary job for as long as I can - hopefully until things return to normal. The item I am going to hold in my hand is my waffle maker, as it has brought a lot of joy to my house as we play the game "Will It Waffle?!".

Alex B.

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Mara B.

I'm a 33 year old from Italy. I'm here on a Student Visa and I used to work in hospitality and events but the Covid-19 completely changed my life and expectations, I can't go back home because I come from the "red area" in the North of Italy. I think positive but I'm a bit scared about the future.
I'm lucky because a lot of people offered me help. I would like to give back to the hospo community with this 10 dollars donation. Books, yoga mat and a pillow for meditation are keeping me sane.

Samuel S.

I’m 26, from Melbourne. I manage a cafe in northcote, and while we are still open I’m working less than half what I used to. My landlord is luckily my friends parents so will hopefully be able to get through with a bit of give and take with them. As for my coping item it has definitely been my just dance 2020 game so far haha a lot of fun plus exercise, dont know how I would hold it, boxes of wine have also been a great coping sorta thing.

Catharine B.

A flower lover, fairy to queen. Trying to start new business. But life is not business as we know it!? It is something we can create?

Angie C.

This small cat I'm holding is made of silk kimono offcuts and filled with rice and beans. There's a nice Japanese woman in Brisbane who makes these really intricate Kimonos and uses the leftover fabric to make cats of all colours. I think she must get sick of my friends dropping in to her store and only buying bean cats in bulk quantities, but every time I think of that happening it makes me smile. I was sent this one here by a dear friend during the first lockdown. It sits on my desk while I work from home, reminding me in the cold Melbourne winter of sunny friends in cities far away. I was 26 when this photo was taken, and was working as a journalist/writer.

Pamela C.

We’re a 34yo couple, one kiwi one from Ecuador. We live in an amazing rental house in Clifton hill. I am a vet nurse so I am an essential worker and still need to go to work every day. My partner works from home, doing marketing. We are doing alright, as long as we are both employed. The item that keeps us entertained, happy and grounded is our senior cat Neros, who is getting cuddlier as the days get colder.

Gillian H.

I'm a 49 y/o musician and researcher. I research the role of music and music education in places of war and catastrophe and have lived and worked all over the world - but I was born and raised in Melbourne and Fitzroy has been home for 13 years. I'm employed by Griffith University as a researcher but about to transition to a new role at Melbourne University. (Hoping that that new job won't disappear in the next couple of weeks). I was job-hunting for a long time and freelance musician before that so I feel enormously lucky to have a job right now. The item I'll hold is my clarinet (or maybe clarinet along with my laptop). I've played clarinet since I was 7 so it has been part of my daily life for most of it!

Oscar M.

Oscar is 23 and lost his job at Stomping Ground, very into podcasting and is now running a community comp & teaching people to make the podcast they always wanted to.

Olly .

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Roxy O.

My name is Roxie, I am 31 years old. Made in Spain for Australia.

I arrived in Melbourne 6 years ago and made Fitzroy my home. Just going for a walk and seeing family faces everyday keeps you sane.

Wine and fashion magazines do their trick too.

Im so grateful to live with legends that make everyday count. The family you choose, for ever.

Nicola P.

I'm a mid 30s film producer originally from London. I run a production company specialising in travel content. Our clients industry is currently in full collapse mode, losing us all major jobs of 2020. My comfort item is my camera as it allows me to create beautiful things any- and everywhere I am, previously around the planet, now confined to a small apartment.

Darcy.

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Aisha P.

Aisha here. I'm a kiwi, lost my job that was based in the Travel Industry - no job keeper or seeker so pretty harsh on that front. I live in a bit of a ramshackle cottage with my partner who as cheesy as it sounds is my ultimate person. It's a mixture of things that get me through with creative outlets in radio and studying but all in all, it's Drew. Ideally, I'd want to hold him. I'm not strong enough to hold him but maybe he could be in my lap. or something like that.

Matthew F.

I am a 27 year old born and bred in Melbourne. For the whole time of covid I have been lucky enough to still be working! I am holding my piece of wood and wheels. Even though the skateparks shut all I need is concrete. Never gets boring. Plus skateboarding though the city as a ghost town calls for good solitude. I skate everyday.

Grace J.

I’m a 31-year-old journalist with a young baby. The lockdown started on my last day of maternity leave, when my daughter had been in childcare for exactly one day.

I have no idea what the rest of her babyhood will look like now: no mums’ group, no rhyme time at the library, no play dates in the park, no visiting her new baby cousin in hospital. And what about a first birthday party?

I’d like to pose while holding my seven-month-old daughter, Olive, in my hands. She’s blissfully ignorant of the historical moment she’s living through, but she represents a generation that may have to grow up in a whole new world, without many of the familiar trappings of childhood the rest of us grew up with.

Rohan P.

I'm 36 y/o guy who just moved back to Australia a few months ago, after 5 years in NYC. My girlfriend's first experience of Aus was the bushfires and, after finding a home, quarantine, so it's been a strange introduction. If I'm going to hold anything, it'd probably be the leash of our new three-legged Staghound mix, Albie, who we got just as quarantine was starting.

Isabel Y.

I’m a 25 year old WFH at my job in community services. When the Pando kicked off I checked in on everyone, sent care packages and wrote daily thank you notes to the posties. Being kind is addictive in my opinion. But suddenly all the people I had reached out to replied and I was hit by an avalanche of pain and fear. It was overwhelming. I properly realised for the first time that I can’t help everyone. My mental health dived and had to take 2 weeks off work. My comfort item is this huge fluffy dog toy that I found out in the garage. It’s unnecessarily size makes me laugh out loud. Will be donating it when restrictions loosen but for now it just reminds me that there will come a time when some Melbourne kid who has been schooling at home, missing friends, sensing the anxieties of their family, will be able to buy a stupidly big dog at Savers.

Miranda H.

Couple living together. Alice, 32 and Miranda 39. Both musicians and teachers/lecturers. We've lost a lot of work, but we are also able to teach from home a fair amount. We spend a lot of time sitting on our front porch drinking tea, eating breakfast, reading books, chatting to neighbours over the fence as they walk past, and watching the world go past and slow down as this pandemic continues. We have been mostly inside for 3 weeks now, due to previously existing respiratory conditions. So a comfort item would be tea, cross stitch, musical instruments, books... We haven't played any music on the front porch just yet, however!

Christo W.

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Danni H.

I'm 26 and from the UK on a student visa. I was supposed to be finishing my Phd at the University of Melbourne this August but this has been delayed as my lab has shut down. I'm unsure about future job prospects for research scientists in Australia but I'm grateful for my current PhD funding. I've been getting crafty with weaving as a distraction from thesis writing and would like to hold up a weave!

Rupert M.

I'm 26 and from the UK, on a 2 year sponsored visa in Melbourne having transferred from the London office. I've lived in this shared house ever since I moved, with the same five people; we get on really well, even during a lockdown. I'm holding in my hands my running shoes. For a short time every day, I get to forget about everything else going on in the world and just run.

Caz A.

I’m 55 tomorrow (12 May) I live alone. I started my own business in December 2019 and was just getting started when iso came in so no income at the moment.
My three-legged rescue Doberman Nelly is the item that has truly saved me at this time, oh and vodka.

Annabelle D.

25 year old record label manager living above a kebab shop 24/7 with my gay unemployed bestie. Lost one of my jobs (at a nightclub) in march & recently had hours cut again at the label. My housemate also lost his job (at a nightclub) in March. Our comfort item is the house bong lol, and also my very long beautiful devils ivy plant :)

Rebecca D.

I'm Rebecca, a 30 year old (turned 30 in quarantine too!) from London on a working holiday visa. I moved to Fitzroy at the very start of quarantine and have been in the house since moving in pretty much! Thankfully, I've managed to keep my job, so I'm one of the lucky ones, I work in a medical company (treating epilepsy) and have been working from home with my new found roommates.

I've not quite decided what I'd hold in my hand, I have taking comfort in cooking (which I've really only started learning properly since quarantine), reading, just started running (and I do not run!) and general Netflix binging since the start of quarantine.

Renae M.

I’m a 33 year old mental health nurse working in homeless outreach at Royal Melbourne hospital. I recently was appointed team leader. My partner and I split at beginning of COVID and after a difficult few weeks she has just moved out. Work has been stressful but also an escape. I’m now trying to figure out what my life will look like in this changed world! My comfort item would be my sweet little cat Louis, but if he declines a photo shoot it would be a book.

Romina B.

I'm Romi, From Chile I arrive to Melbs in September since then Ive been having a great time living in my old Victorian House in Carlton North. reminds me the houses in my previous city in Chile. I am temporary here under the Working Visa and I lost my job because of the Corona and provably I'll go to a farm.
The item I'm going to hold is my camera cuz is my eye wherever I go.

Ranko C.

Ranko resides on the Fitzroy Public Housing Estate and is in the final year of his PhD at the University of Melbourne.

While the PhD has given Ranko something to focus on during the lockdown, it has also made it more difficult and challenging for him. During this time, Ranko has been comforted by playing Serbian folk music on his accordion. Ranko says that he is happiest when he is playing the accordion and that his parents used to stop him crying as a baby by playing this music to him, which is where he developed his liking for it.

Post corona Ranko looks forward to completing his PhD and becoming the first Doctor in his family. He also looks forward to celebrating this achievement by playing the accordion for his friends and loved ones. 

Jasmin L.

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Aidan.

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Inèz D.

I'm a 34 yr old from The Netherlands. I've been here for about 7 years, first on a work holiday visa, then sponsored (through my boyfriend) and now a permanent resident. I live in a townhouse in Fitzroy with my boyfriend and our doggy Rory. I'm a cruelty-free hair & makeup artist and will have no work for the next few months. Luckily my boyfriend has a good job that he's unlikely to loose, so we're lucky. We'll get through okay together, we're just trying to keep calm and sit it out. To be honest I don't know what my comfort item is - which is why I didn't fill this in for a few days because you wanted people with their comfort item. But then, you'd also want different types of people, so I thought I'd fill it in anyway so you can pick and choose who fits your project best! Maybe it's being together with someone I know so well and knowing we'll get through this?

Semir I.

I’m of Eritrean heritage and reside on the Richmond Public Housing Estate. I’m studying a Certificate IV in Youth Work at RMIT.

During the lockdown I’ve applied my studies by running activities for younger people via Zoom and I’m in regular contact with my friends and peers in the African community to ensure they are okay.

Lockdown has been hard for me, but I’ve found comfort in training four to five times a week to keep my soccer skills sharp for when I return to Fitzroy City Soccer Club, nicknamed Serbia, where I have been playing as a right back for the past five years.

Post corona, Semir also looks forward to travelling to Eritrea to visit his loved ones.    

Cassie W.

I'm Cassie. I was a full time music journalist, but my work has cut me back to two days a week. I'm also a DJ, so my schedule is very slower lately.
I've been comforted and keeping routine on my off days by regular cups of tea and exploring my weird tea selection in kooky mugs I've collected over the years.

Human.

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Taylor R.

I’m 22, Australian and have lived in Fitzroy my entire time in Melbourne. I work in travel and have been stood down until it is up and running again which doesn’t look soon. I am currently looking for temporary work, otherwise am lucky to be benefiting from Job Keeper. I’ve just lost my boyfriend, housemates and job and have just moved into a new house with strangers to save money and make a fresh start. My comfort item is my paints and brushes which is an old love reignited during this time.

Alice H.

Couple living together. Alice, 32 and Miranda 39. Both musicians and teachers/lecturers. We've lost a lot of work, but we are also able to teach from home a fair amount. We spend a lot of time sitting on our front porch drinking tea, eating breakfast, reading books, chatting to neighbours over the fence as they walk past, and watching the world go past and slow down as this pandemic continues. We have been mostly inside for 3 weeks now, due to previously existing respiratory conditions. So a comfort item would be tea, cross stitch, musical instruments, books... We haven't played any music on the front porch just yet, however!

Hayley W.

I'm 34 years old and originally from rural Victoria. Throughout the pandemic I have continued my work as an early childhood educator. The item that has provided great comfort to me recently is this clock i'm holding, it was given to me by my sister many years ago.
It reminds me that once in awhile... we all just need a little time.

Jane B.

I am a 76 year old woman living in a small Govt unit in North Fitzroy, with family in The Netherlands and Byron Bay. I have heart and lung issues and have been self isolating for the past 2 weeks. As I'm very social and always out and about I try to stay positive, exercising at home but how long will this isolation last????? The item I'll hold is a photo of my grandchildren who I can't see at the moment.

Tess F and James.

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