A multi-faith public memorial service for victims of the MH17 plane disaster will be held in Melbourne on Thursday.
The ceremony will be held at St Paul's Anglican Cathedral at 10am, Premier Denis Napthine said.
The service has been timed, in part, to allow delegates from the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne this week to mourn colleagues who perished when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine.
"There is thus significant outpouring of grief for those innocent victims and that's why I think having a church service now, particularly with the AIDS 2014 (conference) in a nearby location, gives people a chance to come together and express their grief and also express their support and sympathy for the families and communities affected," Dr Napthine said.
Sponsored by the Victorian government, the service will be open to all and has been arranged by St Paul's Cathedral with support from the Victorian Council of Churches.
Dr Napthine on Monday led Victorian Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews, Greens MP Greg Barber, federal Speaker Bronwyn Bishop and consular officials from countries affected by the disaster in signing the first of Victoria's MH17 condolence books at Parliament House in Melbourne.
The public can sign the books at Parliament House, council offices, public libraries and the offices of Victorian MPs around the state.
Dr Napthine said he was available to speak to people touched by disaster if they wished.
"My door is open. My telephone is available. If the families wish to contact me or speak directly to me, I am ready willing and able to talk or listen to the families," he said.
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