Homeless people at Sydney's tent city begin packing up

Homeless people in Sydney's Martin Place have begun packing up their tents as police watch on.

City CBD workers walk past a tent city housing the homeless in Martin Place, Sydney (AAP) Source: AAP

Occupants of Sydney's CBD tent city have begun packing up their belongings as police watch on.

After more than six months camped outside the Reserve Bank building in Martin Place, the homeless community started peacefully moving on at about 9am on Friday.

Legislation passed NSW Parliament on Thursday to empower police to tear down the tents from Crown Land.

The man dubbed the "Mayor of Martin Place", Lanz Priestley, told AAP some camp dwellers are moving to "friend's places" or "friend's backyards".

"There are some of the people who are from here who don't have anywhere to go," he said.

NSW Police are maintaining a presence at the site.

Residents of Tent City speak to the police as they pack their belongings as they prepare to move from Martin Place in Sydney, Friday, August 11, 2017. Source: AAP