Thousands of people have marched in rallies around Australia and around the world in a series of protests against the proposed closure of up to 150 remote communities in Western Australia.

In Perth, hundreds gathered at Forrest Place in the CBD where they were addressed by Aboriginal elders who told the crowd they want to work with the Government to strengthen communities rather than abolish them.

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Protesters marched through the city to Parliament with signs stating "Close the gap, not communities" and chanting "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land".

There were disruptions to traffic as the crowd made its way through the city escorted by police on horseback.

The same chant was sung in Sydney as more than 1,000 people, many carrying flags and placards, took to CBD streets to protest against the closures.

In Melbourne, several thousand people marched through the city in what was a peaceful but vocal protest.

The marchers, some carrying gum leaves, were led by mounted police to the intersection near Federation Square.

Mollie Kerby travelled from Castlemaine, in central Victoria, to attend the protest with her four-year-old daughter and she said she was passionate about the issue.

"I cant believe we even have to be here to protest," she said.

"I never thought it would be an issue. Where are people going to go? It's absolutely appalling."

Thousands of people gathered outside Flinders Street Station in a peaceful but vocal protest. ( ABC News: Lily Partland )

Hundreds of people from across the Top End gathered outside the Northern Territory Parliament in Darwin, after marching from Raintree Park, calling on the Federal Government to reverse cuts to Indigenous services and for federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion's pay to be cut.

Mr Scullion last month announced the organisations that would receive funding under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy but a number of territory services missed out.

"Our land, our right, our life" read one of the many signs at the Darwin rally.

In Alice Springs more than 300 people joined the protests by gathering on the town council lawns.

In Adelaide, an estimated 300 people headed from Victoria Square to Parliament.

Protesters also took to the streets in New Zealand's capital Wellington.

'Second-class citizens' un-Australian

People were out in force at the Geraldton rally against the closure of remote communities. ( ABC News: Sarah Taillier )

Rallies were also held in regional centres including Geraldton in WA's Mid West, and in small communities such as Warmun, Beagle Bay, Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation's Simon Hawkins said people were frustrated the State Government had not talked to Aboriginal people, five months after announcing the potential closures.

"They shouldn't be treated as second-class citizens by virtue of the fact that 'I'm going to close your community and remove you out of your home'," he said.

"It's very un-Australian to do that. I would've thought that we support people in their homes and we want people to have decisions made about their homes that they make [themselves].

"That a government simply doesn't intervene and remove people from their houses.

"You've got people living in communities saying 'oh we're going to be closed, where are we going to move to, where are we going to live?' including elderly people and a range of people that have been living out there for years that have called the place their home.

"There's been no consultation.

"The Premier hasn't made any effort to consult or to turn that issue around, he's just said sorry. I mean that's just not good enough."

Belinda Riley and Darren Mippy say their community has a lot of sacred sites that need protecting. ( ABC News: Sarah Taillier )

Belinda Riley and her family travelled more than 600 kilometres from the Aboriginal community of Yulga Jinna, 130 kilometres north of Meekatharra, to march in Geraldton.

She said her community was her home and leaving was not an option.

"We're traditional owners of the country where Yulga Jinna is, recognised by the State Government and we have a lot of sacred sites and we have to look after the country," she said.

"That's our culture to look after the country, to look after hills, rivers, water holes, the animals of the land. We're the protectors of that country so if Yulga Jinna closed, we'd have to go in somebody else's country and live and it's just not right in our way."

Ms Riley said her elders started the community from scratch.

"My elders wanted Yulga Jinna to be a place where their young could stay out of trouble and get away from alcohol and drugs and all the other pressures," she said.

"One of the main reasons our old people built Yulga Jinna is so their people could keep their connection to country.

"If Yulga Jinna is forced to be closed who will look after our heritage places? Who will look after our land and how can we keep our culture alive?

"Yulga Jinna is our home on our country."

People gather in Darwin outside Parliament as part of rallies against proposed closures. ( ABC: Avani Dias )

'No-one will be forced from their land', Premier says

Last year, WA Premier Colin Barnett said the State Government could no longer continue to service remote communities.

The Commonwealth provided funding for about two-thirds of the state's Aboriginal settlements with the WA Government funding the balance.

But the Commonwealth has withdrawn its funding, and is handing over responsibility to the State Government over the next two years.

As a result, Mr Barnett warned that between 100 and 150 of the 274 remote communities would be forced to close.

On Friday, the Premier could not say how many communities would be shut down.

"I can't because there is no list of communities that are not viable. There never has been and never will be. But I would expect there'd be a significant number," Mr Barnett said.

"I think if anyone just thinks about it, 274 communities [are] not going to survive in the long term.

"At the end of the day, and that's going to be years and years, this process, I expect there will be significantly less Aboriginal communities.

"But they'll be better managed, they'll provide better health and education, and better opportunities for young Aboriginals to get a good education, to get qualifications and to have a good, enjoyable productive life.

"No person will be forced from their land. No person will be forced from their community but the state will not be able to provide services across that many communities."

WA's Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Peter Collier said the word 'closure' should never have been used in the debate.

"Can I emphasise that the Premier has also stated publicly since that time that the word 'closure' was probably inappropriate," Mr Collier said.

"He acknowledges that and I give him credit for that ... but at the same time I think what he's done is highlight something that everything that everyone acknowledges and that is the status quo can't prevail."

WA's Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said the proposed closures could have been handled better.

"The state's reputation has been tarnished by the way this Premier and this Government have handled this issue," he said.

"Reputation is one thing, that is important, but the impact on families, children and communities, that's more important, and that's what I'm concerned about."

Mr Hawkins said there was a strong message being sent via protests being held around the world.

"There's rallies in Berlin, Hong Kong, London, LA around the world because people fundamentally see this as being a massive breach of human rights," he said.

"There's been a delegation to the United Nations, a permanent forum on this issue, because Australia is a signature to a treaty which talks about free and prior and informed consent.

"Simply making a decision to close your community without consult breaches that treaty.

"It does have a fair degree of support around the world and people, particularly overseas, are looking at how the Aboriginal people are being treated and think it's very unfair."

WA Greens senator Rachel Siewert said while language had changed, Mr Barnett was just spinning his position on remote communities differently but still intended to close some.

"It doesn't actually change his approach," she said.

"He's spinning it differently. He still intends to close communities, he still intends [for] people to move into bigger towns, which is what the communities are saying they don't want."