By Sakshi Agrawal
The weather gods shined on Melbourne as thousands of people – not deterred by coronavirus concerns – lined Kings Domain parkland for the annual Moomba Parade.
Moomba monarchs, comedians Julia Morris and Nazeem Hussain, arrived well prepared and in a generous mood, given the recent run on toilet paper in supermarkets amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Moomba monarchs Julia Morris and Nazeem Hussain (right) on their royal float, with toilet paper at hand.Credit: AAP
Morris fashioned a handbag out of a roll of three-ply.
"In order to be the monarch of the people, perhaps two sheets per person I could hand out, which will keep everybody happy," she said.
She waved the toilet paper at festival-goers from her Moomba throne high atop a float in the parade.
Hussain was willing to go one step further.
"While Julia will be handing them out, I will be helping people apply if they need the help ... I am the king of the people," he said.
Weird and whacky colourful floats based on drawings by Melbourne kids delighted young and old along Birdwood Avenue on Monday.
Dancers in this year's Moomba parade.Credit: AAP
Annabelle Wilson attended the parade with her two-year-old daughter and her father – the parade has been a tradition in their family for 25 years.
"My dad used to take me here as a baby. So we are passing it on. It's lovely to see all the cultures and how Melbourne has grown over the years," she told Channel Nine.
Participants in the 2020 Moomba parade.Credit: AAP
CFA volunteers, who also joined the parade this year after a summer fighting the state's bushfires, were greeted with loud cheers from the crowd.