Aboriginal activists declared Australia didn't deserve a day of celebration and hoped the country 'burns to the ground' at a Melbourne rally.

Tens of thousands flooded Spring Street and Collins Street in Melbourne's CBD to protest against 'Invasion Day', carrying placards and shouting slogans.

They then marched down Bourke Street chanting 'always was, always will be Aboriginal land', 'no pride in genocide' and 'our land, our law'.

Tarneen Onus-Williams (pictured) told the assembled crowd 'f*** Australia, hope it burns to the ground' during one of many speeches

Protesters flood the area around the Victorian Parliament to protest against 'Invasion Day'

Tens of thousands flooded Spring Street and Collins Street in Melbourne's CBD to protest against 'Invasion Day', carrying placards and shouting slogans

Onus-Williams along with other speakers claimed Australia was 'not mature enough' to celebrate itself - even if the date was moved from January 26

Tarneen Onus-Williams told the crowd of thousands 'f**k Australia, hope it burns to the ground' during one of many speeches, according to the Herald Sun.

The rally organiser earlier accused broadcaster Neil Mitchell of being a racist during an awkward interview on live radio.

Elder Tony Birch said Australia was 'not mature enough' to celebrate itself - even if the date was moved from January 26.

'This country does not deserve a day of national celebration in any capacity,' he said.

The rally organiser earlier accused broadcaster Neil Mitchell of being a racist during an awkward interview on live radio

Aboriginal activists declared Australia didn't deserve a day of celebration and hoped the country 'burns to the ground' at a Melbourne rally

Protesters waving indigenous flags, some wearing face paint and holding placards with 'Change the date' messages, marched on the Victorian Parliament

One of these placards encouraged people to 'celebrate survival, not arrival'

The area around Flinders Street station was flooded with protesters in Melbourne

Hundreds of police looked out over the protest, ready to suppress any violent clashes between protesters and far-right activists.

Protesters waving indigenous flags, some wearing face paint and holding placards with 'change the date' messages, marched on the Victorian Parliament.

Other slogans included 'colonisation', 'justice', 'we are still here', 'sovereignty', and 'day of mourning'.

Ms Onus-Williams told The Australian the Melbourne protest was not only just intended to be part of the 'change the date' campaign.

'People think just change the date and it’s going to be fine,' Ms Onus-Williams told the publication.

'People say they’re celebrating a great country. Celebrating a great country - Australia - has come at a loss for so many people, especially Aboriginal people.

'Most people who think this is a great country are white people.'

They then marched down Bourke Street chanting 'always was, always will be Aboriginal land', 'no pride in genocide' and 'our land, our law'

Other slogans included 'colonisation', 'justice', 'we are still here', 'sovereignty', and 'day of mourning'

The march declared Australia's treatment of Aboriginals to be 'genocide'

This sign oddly declares that Australia doesn't exist as its holder sits outside the Victorian Parliament

Aboriginal elders speak to the massive crowd as placards demand white Australia 'pay the rent'

In Sydney a large group including former Sydney Swans stars Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin gathered at inner-city Redfern's The Block and marched to nearby Victoria Park.

Organiser Ken Canning from Fighting In Resistance Equally hoped the Sydney Invasion Day rally would draw attention to indigenous deaths in custody.

He was grateful for the support of non-Aboriginal Australians and hoped to engage with the general public through the march.

'Our political spectrum around the country, except for maybe the Greens party... ignore the calls of Aboriginal people,' he said.

Elsewhere in Melbourne, a handful of right-wing activists including high-profile demonstrator Neil Erikson was protesting outside a citizenship ceremony.

The six men wearing flags and handing out flyers to new migrants were barred from entering the ceremony at Coburg town hall in Melbourne's north on Friday.

Activists take over the steps of the Victorian Parliament during 'Invasion Day' march

Hundreds of police looked out over the protest, ready to suppress any violent clashes between protesters and far-right activists

The concept of Australia Day being a 'day of mourning' was a popular one

Another banner declared that Australians were living on 'stolen land'

Mr Erikson said the men were protesting the council's decision to remove the phrase 'Australia Day' from the official citizenship ceremony.

Ms Onus-Williams clashed with Neil Mitchell on Tuesday while she was on 3AW radio to promote the protest.

The tension kicked off when Mitchell asked he if her protest group would cooperate with the police or council to minimise disruption.

'Yeah look, we are asserting our sovereign right to walk on our country because we are sovereign people to this land. At the moment we're not organising with police,' Ms Onus-Williams said.

'So people can do things the way they like, and we like to do things we like to do.'

In Sydney a large group including former Sydney Swans stars Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin gathered at inner-city Redfern's The Block and marched to nearby Victoria Park

Protest banner in Redfern speaks out against Aboriginal deaths in custody

Organiser Ken Canning from Fighting In Resistance Equally hoped the Sydney Invasion Day rally would draw attention to indigenous deaths in custody

He was grateful for the support of non-Aboriginal Australians and hoped to engage with the general public through the march

'Our political spectrum around the country, except for maybe the Greens party... ignore the calls of Aboriginal people,' he said

Sydney protesters declare 'no pride in genocide' as they march through Redfern

There appeared to be many white faces in the crowd protesting against Australia Day

Small Aboriginal children were among the hundreds of protesters who swamped Redfern

Aboriginals declare they survived European settlement with placards at the rally

Protesters wear Bob Marley t-shirts and traditional paint while carrying boomerangs

Mitchell asked Ms Onus-Williams if that meant she ignored 'white man's law'.

'On that basis you can say the aboriginal people can do whatever they like and just ignore the law of the land,' he said.

Ms Onus-Williams replied saying 'we have a law of the land already, we do hold our values strong to our heart'.

She refused to answer questions about Koorie Youth Council using taxpayer money to promote the rally and said it was protesting the abolition of Australia Day, not just pushing for the date to be moved.

Mitchell cut in saying: 'you're happy to interview yourself, but that's not the way it works'.

This sign called for the Australian flag to be changed along with date of Australia Day

Hundreds of police looked out over the protest, ready to suppress any violent clashes between protesters and far-right activists.

Many white people were in the crowd protesting Australia Day in Melbourne

Some Aboriginal attended wearing traditional dress and painted in colours

Aboriginal elder in traditional dress addresses the crowd in Melbourne's CBD

Flags, banners, and placards were waved in the crowd, one reading 'f**k celebrating day made of misery'

The interview descended into chaos when Ms Onus-Williams said she would not 'take orders' from Mitchell.

'I won't take orders from a radio host on a racist radio channel,' she said.

A shocked Mitchell said, 'did you just call me a racist?' to which Ms Onus-Williams replied, 'Yes, I called you a racist'.

'You're questioning my legitimacy as a sovereign person of this land,' she said.

Mitchell told her he was offended by the accusation, saying it was 'ugly to throw around the word racist'.

'I'm questioning you not because you're black or yellow or white, but because you're in a position organising a rally which is significant to this town around a significant issue which is the future of Australia Day,' he said.

'It does not make me racist to ask you a bloody question and to call me a racist is damn offensive.

'Please please please don't assume that questioning equates with racism, that really is quite offensive intellectually and morally.'

The Aboriginal flag flies high over the huge protest in Melbourne's CBD

Protesters turned the Victorian Parliament steps into a memorial for slain Aboriginals

'Black lives matter' was another common slogan on signs waved by protesters

A man raises a placard declaring Australia Day to be 'Invasion Day' at the Melbourne rally

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used his Australia Day address to state the impact of European settlement on Aboriginal Australians had been 'tragic'.

But he praised the nation's history as 'an overwhelmingly bright story' and said 'not many' Australians were in favouring of changing the date of Australia Day.

'It's a great day and a day we celebrate this remarkable nation of ours,' Mr Turnbull said.

'The overwhelming majority of Australians are celebrating Australia Day like we are here today.

'There were many wrongs done in the past which we seek to close today, we seek to close the gap.'

Governor-General Peter Cosgrove urged Australians to embrace the day and celebrate the history and culture of indigenous people as well as the contributions of generations of migrants.