Melburnians marked Australia Day in varied ways, some attending a protest advocating a change to the date and others enjoying the summer weather on a long weekend.Police were out in force around the CBD as tens of thousands of people marched through the streets at an Invasion Day rally and a few dozen staged a counter-protest in support of the day.

Two historic statues in Melbourne were vandalised ahead of Australia Day celebrations on Sunday, which are expected to see tens of thousands across the country participating in protests. These demonstrations support Aboriginal people who believe the date is not a cause for celebration.