Thousands of people have gathered in Redfern in Sydney as well as in Melbourne to march the streets in support of indigenous rights.
Sydney Organiser Ken Canning from Fighting In Resistance Equally said he hoped the Invasion Day rally would draw attention to indigenous deaths in custody and was grateful for the support of non-Aboriginal Australians.
"The idea here is to engage the general public because our political spectrum around the country, except for maybe the Greens party ... ignore the calls of Aboriginal people," he told AAP ahead of the march.
Thousands are expected at "Invasion Day" marches around the country, buoyed by Thursday's comments from Australian of the Year nominee Johnathan Thurston that the date will inevitable change one day.
More than 5000 are expected at a rally outside the Victorian Parliament and similar numbers will walk in Sydney, starting from The Block in Redfern.
Protests have already begun with a Melbourne statue of Captain Cook daubed in pink paint and the words "No Pride" on Thursday.
