More than 200,000 people across Australia have made their voices heard as part of an international strike calling for stronger climate change action, with additional demonstrations taking place around the world.
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The Global Strike 4 Climate took place in 110 towns and cities across Australia on Friday, with organisers demanding a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030 and a transition to 100 per cent renewable energy.
Millions of people around the world on Friday also took to the streets, including 16-year-old Swedish climate activist and strike organiser Greta Thunberg, who participated in demonstrations in New York City.
She will take part in the United Nations' youth climate forum on Saturday and address world leaders at the UN secretary-general's climate summit on September 23.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will not attend the summit.
Teachers, union members, grandparents, heavily-pregnant women and a man in a dinosaur suit holding a sign saying "Extinction sucks, trust me" showed up at Australian rallies to support the student-led protest.
In central Brisbane, thousands filled Queens Gardens to capacity, with columns of protesters spilling out and closing part of George Street.
More than 50,000 protesters took over the Domain in Sydney before marching down Macquarie Street to Hyde Park.
Daniel was one of the many students who defied acting prime minister Michael McCormack, who said students should be in school.
The 15-year-old Fort High School student said it wouldn't be long before the younger generation brought about a change in leadership.
"People are demanding more than they're being offered," he said.
Tens of thousands of people hit the streets in Melbourne, with children in school uniforms waving banners with slogans including "Denial is not a policy".
Members of the crowd peacefully gathered in Treasury Gardens, not far from Parliament House, and also swarmed on city streets.
Some commentators estimated a crowd of more than 100,000.
Darwin protesters pointed out that the weather bureau data showed the number of +35C days is already increasing in the Top End and indigenous island communities were vulnerable to rising sea levels.
In Hobart, former federal Greens leader Bob Brown tweeted the rally was the biggest in Tasmania's history.
Organisers say more than 300,000 people attended the protests across the country, double the turnout of the most recent national protest in March.
The worldwide strike movement began in August 2018 when Thunberg began protesting outside Sweden's parliament on school days.
She tweeted support from New York for the students gathering in Australia, saying they were "setting the standard" for other countries.
Australian Associated Press
