THOUSANDS of people have turned out in capital cities across Australia to protest against the Abbott Government’s policies on climate change, asylum seekers, marriage equality, education funding, indigenous rights and more.

The grassroots March in March movement, which claimed to be a nonpartisan peaceful protest, was organised largely through social media.

In Melbourne, parents, students, environmentalists, refugee supporters, cab drivers, teachers and children gathered in the heart of the city to tell the federal government they are not happy.

The Melbourne chapter of the nationwide March in March featured speeches on indigenous rights, education funding and university cuts.

But the event represented a grab-bag of issues. Signs in Melbourne read: “Transit not tolls” and “Turn back the AbBoat”.

Unions were present, as were ordinary families.

Shauna Burstin and daughter Mikhayla, eight, came to express their support for same-sex marriage.

Blackburn couple Dyan and Andrew brought their three kids Dylan, Harper and Marlo because they thought it was important to teach their children not to stay silent if they don't agree with the government.

“I'm not going to treat refugees as second-class citizens,” Dyan told AAP.

“I've never been moved as much by any other government in my life as this to protest.” Seventeen thousand people said on Facebook they would attend the Melbourne event and 11,700 said they would march in Sydney.

Canberra organiser Loz Lawrey said the event, which started as a conversation between a handful of people on Facebook in January, now has more than 45,000 supporters.

Victoria Police said they weren't expecting 17,000 protesters for the Melbourne rally but had allocated resources to the event.

A man collapsed in Brisbane following a march through the city to protest against Tony Abbott and the Queensland government’s “police state” crackdown on bikies.

After marching through central Brisbane, a man fell to the ground on George Street and required an ambulance.

Before the march, the loudest jeering from the crowd of about 2000 came when event organiser Matt Donovan, a former Labor candidate, denounced Immigration Minister Scott Morrison’s treatment of asylum seekers.

“No matter how many times you parrot that lie, we will keep reminding you,” he told the crowd.

He also had a line for Queensland Premier Campbell Newman: “our dear leader”.

“I know many of you protesters are here, in fact, to protest the arrogant, despotic, far-right, authoritarian, self-serving, bullyboy government and the police state he has created,” Mr Donovan said.

Reports of 30k up to 50k people for Melbourne #MarchInMarch. I hope it's the latter, that's awesome. — laceninja (@laceninja) March 16, 2014

Seeing all the people who've come out in their thousands to #MarchinMarch gives me hope @TonyAbbottMHR you must pay attention — Carolyn Hastie (@CarolynHastie) March 16, 2014

About 30 rallies were held during the weekend, including in regional cities on Saturday and state capitals on Sunday.

The event will culminate on Monday when protesters deliver a notice of no confidence to Parliament House.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten distanced himself from the rally, telling reporters the Labor Party was not formally involved.

“But I do get people want to express their views. It's a free country,” Mr Shorten said.

The invitation to march, circulated via social media, calls on people to “participate in democracy”.

“Democracy doesn't end at the ballot box,” the invitation says. “It is the right, if not duty, of all Australians to hold our elected representatives to account; to remind them that they are, above all else, public servants.”