Among them were Susan Doyle from Valla, Rev Dr Jason John, bookseller John Ross and Tu'ulenana Iuli from Bellingen, Mack Dixon from Dorrigo and Daniel Skerrett from Bonville plus a cross section of people from the Coffs Coast, Canberra and Sydney.

In response to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s suggestion that Australians pray for rain to end drought instead of talking about climate change, Rev Jason John said, "It's cynical to simply 'pray for rain', as if God controls every drop, whilst doing absolutely nothing to deliver a safer climate with less severe weather extremes.

Marnie Cotton a mother of two young children said the group had driven nine hours to be there to say that they were afraid.

"I am afraid my children will be growing up in a world becoming increasingly chaotic and unliveable due to climate change," she said. Our children deserve a liveable planet.”

Grandfather of 12, Brian Mahony, said, “We are seeing increasing record breaking droughts, floods, heatwaves; the clear beginnings of an escalating climate emergency.

"Our message to parliamentarians is that this is not another ‘policy issue’ but a massive threat to planetary ecosystems and human civilizations.

"We demand they act urgently in our interests and not to continue to defend the interests of their powerful fossil fuel corporate donors.”

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