Er... I'm also going to reveal myself as a slightly crazy hippie hoarder, but I've also found some
awesome older style furniture during hard rubbish collections in the more affluent suburbs.
A side table, a cupboard, a really nice antique deco period wood backed mirror (that one of my housemates stole). We also scored a nice coffee table in one of my sharehouses this way. You just need to be stealthly while looking.
Try markets too! they can be 'spensive though. You need to be prepared to walk away if they are asking crazy prices.