Homeless people are being targeted by violent gangs of drunken men who throw their victims' belongings into the Yarra River, according to the free medical clinic that cares for Melbourne's rough sleepers.

Youth Projects' Melanie Raymond said staff at the centre regularly saw assault wounds on their clients. She said every day they helped a homeless person replace their stolen identity card.

Former mechanic Ricky Miller has made a place to sleep under a bridge in Southbank. Credit:Pat Scala

''The mindless attacks on homeless people are more common than you would think by gangs of men from the suburbs that are far from homeless,'' she said.

''Every client would have an account of being bashed and robbed. They're an easy target. Having their belongings thrown in the Yarra is a common experience.''