The parents of a baby who died of whooping cough have perfectly protested an American anti-vaccination film that has been secretly screening in Australia.

Catherine and Greg Hughes, who lost son Riley to whooping cough when he was just three weeks old, have donated 200 polio vaccines through UNICEF in honour of the film.

They posted on their Facebook page Light for Riley, "In thoroughly disappointing news this morning, some of the most vocal anti-vaccine activists from the US vaxxed tour have just arrived in Australia to promote their anti vaccine beliefs to the community.

"Whilst this movie and these activists have been widely discredited, it's still concerning that they are able to come here and promote their dangerous beliefs.

Image: Facebook @lightforriley

"Feeling frustrated and knowing that their voice could potentially influence a small section of vulnerable parents we wanted to offset the damage caused by their arrival.

"So here's to you vaxxed team USA, we are donating 200 polio vaccines through UNICEF in your honour. That's 200 children protected from a serious vaccine preventable disease thanks to your arrival."

Riley Hughes was just 32-days-old when he died from vaccine-preventable disease whooping cough. What started as a common cold ended with Riley dying in mum Catherine's arms on March 17, 2015.

Now Catherine and Greg have devoted their lives to raising awareness of both childhood vaccinations and pregnancy vaccinations through their organisation Light for Riley.

As soon as they began their campaign, the devastated parents were hit with an avalanche of abuse by the anti-vac movement in Australia and around the world.

Still, they've stayed strong and focused on reducing vaccine-preventable deaths such as the one their family has endured.

Catherine and Greg say goodbye to Riley. Image: Facebook @lightforriley

Now a new film called Vaxxed has arrived in Australia, with secret screenings being planned.

The film is directed by discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield who published a study in 1998 linking the MMR vaccine to autism.

The study was later found the be untrue and Wakefield was stripped of his licence to practice medicine in the UK.

Still, the anti-vac movement was formed with the dangerous message that vaccinations cause autism spreading around the world, assisted by celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy.

Most recently Robert DeNiro came under fire for planning to screen the move at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2016. The actor has a son with autism and felt the movie would be interesting and informative.

After a wave of protests, DeNiro pulled the film from the schedule, releasing the statement, "My intent in screening this film was to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal to me and my family. But after reviewing it over the past few days with the Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community, we do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for.

Image: Facebook @lightforriley

"The Festival doesn't seek to avoid or shy away from controversy. However, we have concerns with certain things in this film that we feel prevent us from presenting it in the Festival program. We have decided to remove it from our schedule.

"Grace and I have a child with autism and we believe it is critical that all of the issues surrounding the causes of autism be openly discussed and examined. In the 15 years since the Tribeca Film Festival was founded, I have never asked for a film to be screened or gotten involved in the programming. However this is very personal to me and my family and I want there to be a discussion, which is why we will be screening VAXXED. I am not personally endorsing the film, nor am I anti-vaccination; I am only providing the opportunity for a conversation around the issue."

Catherine and Greg Hughes have since had another child, Lucy, who was born last August and is 10-months old.

"Having her after losing Riley has been brilliant, emotional, bittersweet, hard work and amazing all at once," Catherine told 9Honey.