Tens of thousands of people gathered in Melbourne's CBD for an 'Invasion Day' rally on Thursday.
The crowd at Federation Square - estimated by some to be up to 50,000 people - is believed to have eclipsed the number of people who attended the earlier Australia Day march along Swanston Street.
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Melbourne Invasion Day rally: tens of thousands march in CBD
The crowd at Federation Square - estimated by some to be up to 50,000 people - is believed to have eclipsed the number of people who attended the earlier Australia Day march along Swanston Street.
Protesters gathered at Parliament House on Spring Street about 11am, just as the Australia Day parade was beginning nearby.
The tune of Waltzing Matilda could be heard drifting from the bagpipes on Swanston Street as 'Invasion Day' protesters gave speeches in front of Parliament House.
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The protesters then marched down Bourke Street, along Swanston Street, and reached Flinders Street Station, just after the Australia Day parade came to an end.
The march paused at the intersection of Bourke and Exhibition streets for a sit in circle, blocking traffic.
At midday, the eerie boom of the 21-gun salute at the Shrine of Remembrance echoed over the Invasion Day Melbourne crowd's chants of "always was, always will be Aboriginal land".
The rally filled Federation Square and spilled onto Flinders and Swanston streets, across to Flinders Street Station.
The Invasion Day Melbourne rally. Photo: Twitter/@sallyrugg
Once at Flinders Street, the protesters again formed a circle.
Those near enough sat on the road at the intersection, with the rest of the marching crowd stretching back up Swanston Street.
The crowd on Swanston Street for the Australia Day parade. Photo: Jesse Marlow
The Invasion Day Melbourne march was one of many being held in capital cities and towns across Australia.
One man was arrested and two people injured after a scuffle between police and protesters during an 'Invasion Day' march in central Sydney.
Thousands of demonstrators were walking towards Victoria Park on Thursday afternoon when one of the marchers tried to light an Australian flag, witnesses said.
A group of officers from the Public Order and Riot Squad ran into the crowd and sprayed the area with a fire extinguisher.
As a smoky haze drifted over the crowd, protesters and police began shoving each other.
A police officer and a woman were taken to hospital as a precaution, while a 20-year-old man was arrested.
What they said
Varun, India
"From this protest march it means I can know that these type of issues are happening in Australia. So it is for awareness also. It is a very good thing because people have the freedom to protest for every issue."
Jodie
"It's my first march ever and obviously we're here to fight to change the Australia Day date. The reason being it's wrong to celebrate. It wouldn't matter what date it was on, just not today."
Melanie
"I don't think it's wrong to celebrate Australia Day, but to celebrate it on this date and to completely ignore what we've done here and what we're still doing is wrong."
Graham Cooper, Deer Park
"I've come here just to let people know that we are still here, we're not going away, and we just, solidarity. I wear my colours because that shows who I am and why I'm here."
Neville Scarlett, Coburg
"I'm here to commemorate all the Aboriginal people who were murdered during the first stage of settlement."
History, depends on who wrote it! #SurvivalDay #changethedate pic.twitter.com/v45dEEsOhv
— Nova Peris OAM (@NovaPeris) January 26, 2017
Colonisation is not a celebration #InvasionDay2017 #AustraliaDay pic.twitter.com/U43VDVspn3
— Emily van der Nagel (@emvdn) January 26, 2017
The 'Invasion Day' protest in Sydney also drew a large crowd.
Thousands of people are marching through the streets of Sydney. #InvasionDay pic.twitter.com/s3jf1g2AE6
— Allan Clarke (@AllanJClarke) January 26, 2017
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