'This crisis, it affects everyone': Organisers say 100,000 at Melbourne's climate strike

Banging drums, chanting and singing, tens of thousands of Victorian school children descended on Melbourne's CBD to demand action on climate change.

They brought part of the city to a standstill on Friday afternoon for their third School Strike 4 Climate protest - this time joined by droves of office workers, public servants, tradies, mothers and babies, and politicians.

Event organisers say 100,000 people filled Treasury Gardens and Spring Street - dwarfing the crowd that attended a strike in March.

Almost 300,000 people marched in cities across Australia for the coordinated rallies - as part of the global movement - but Melbourne hosted the largest turn out.

Tens of thousands of Victorian school students descended on Melbourne's CBD on Friday afternoon.Credit: Joe Armao

Protesters met at Treasury Gardens and the crowd swelled by the minute, spilling onto the steps of the Old Treasury Building and the Gordon Reserve on Macarthur Street. They then marched down Collins Street to Russell Street and on to Flinders Street.

"When I say climate, you say justice," they yelled into microphones. "When I say people, you say power."

The children are too young to vote and send a political message at the ballot box, but they hoped their mass strike would be noticed by leaders, three days ahead of the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York.

The School Strike 4 Climate movement is demanding three things from governments: no new coal, oil and gas projects, 100 per cent renewable energy generation and exports by 2030, and funding for the transition and creation of jobs for all fossil fuel workers and communities.

Protesters start gathering outside the Old Treasury Building.Credit: Joe Armao

Seventeen-year-old Katherine said she was concerned governments around the world weren’t doing enough to address the "climate emergency".

"I’m just really passionate about making the future a better place for everyone, especially the younger generation," the Lauriston Girls’ School student said.

"We might be able to change PMs, but we can't change planets." Zoe and Gemma, 13, at Friday's rally.Credit: Sumeyya Illanbey

It was the first strike for 10-year-old Arlo. "I think it’s unfair that politicians are putting their lives over climate," he said. "They need to think about the future because my future and everyone else’s future depends on them."

They carried placards reading: "I can't save my ATAR so I may as well save the planet" and "I bet the dinosaurs thought they had time too".

Yvette, Chloe and Zac travelled from Geelong to be at the Melbourne climate change strike.Credit: Sumeyya Illanbey

Hundreds of students were bussed in from the country, while others on Mount Hotham also joined the cause, downing their ski poles to hold up banners and placards on the slopes.

Ten-year-olds Poppy and Charlie were at the rally with Albie, 12, Max and Daisy, both 8, and their grandparents.

When asked why they decided to strike, Charlie said: "To make people notice that we need to do something about climate change."

Poppy said it was important to take action because "the earth is warming up and the icebergs are melting".

One organiser told the crowd: "This crisis, it affects everyone. Businesses, older people, younger people and everyone in between. That is why so many people are joining this movement."

Photos of the Australian crowd grabbed the attention of Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist who inspired the School Strike 4 Climate movement by protesting outside the Swedish Parliament in 2018.

"Incredible pictures as Australia’s gathering for the #climatestrike," Greta tweeted. "Australia is setting the standard! It’s bedtime in New York so please share as many pictures as you can as the strikes move across Asia to Europe and Africa!"

Meanwhile, RMIT University students were offered full marks on part of an environmental design project for attending the strike and documenting their participation.

A university spokesperson said the teacher encouraged students to attend the rally on the basis that it was educational and relevant to the project that is worth 5 per cent of one assessment in the subject.

Yet Deputy Prime Minister, and Nationals leader, Michael McCormack described the protests as a "disruption" and said they should be held on the weekend.

"I believe [students] would learn more at school than they would protesting," he said.