Homeless couple Bianca and Sharky.

Homeless couple Bianca and Sharky. Photo: Angela Wylie



Their 'home' is stark and unfriendly. It smells like a urinal with only a tarp for cover. Sharky and Bianca had a pet dog for a companion, Boof, but they sold him on Thursday.


"They should give Melbourne a prize for being arrogant," says Sharky, 35. His real name is Shane and he has been homeless in Sydney and Brisbane and, now, Melbourne. We met to talk about about Melbourne being named this week as the world's friendliest city.


"People have their heads in phones, bump into you, not looking at you, keep their noses in the air," he says. "Judge you by the way you look. 'Get off the streets! Get a job!' Just strangers, you know what I mean?"


Jax Jacki Brown takes to the streets.

Jax Jacki Brown takes to the streets. Photo: Angela Wylie



His girlfriend Bianca, 22, says people (dog walkers, joggers, commuters, passers-by; the couple sleep in Fitzroy Gardens in East Melbourne) are not shy about calling her and Sharky "disgusting" or the way they live "disgusting" or questioning whether they really are homeless or really need to be sleeping rough.