Bega Valley residents joined the Global Day of Climate Action on Friday, adhering to COVID-19 restrictions as they demanded greater action by government on the issue of climate change.
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The day also included young people, from schools across the region, taking part in a School Strike 4 Climate Australia rally demanding the nation adopt a target of 100 per cent renewable energy generation and exports by 2030.
National organisers said last year's school strikes were some of the largest protests in Australian history.
For Bega resident Vivian Harris the day marked her 80th straight week of weekly climate protests.
"The School Climate Strike I thought was one of the best yet," Ms Harris said.
"Not in terms of numbers but the combination of people standing on the main street with placards, the Red Rebels silently walking around, the cyclists making multiple passes and the impromptu dance at the end really worked well.
"It created so many climate conversations. You could hear them and see them up and down the street with people stopping to talk with people they knew holding placards.
"I had quite a few adults suddenly decide to join in. I sent them back to the park to grab extra placards."
Ms Harris said her weekly protesting helps "keep climate change in people's minds", especially during a turbulent 2020.
"It is an non-threatening way to have climate conversations. People have often seen me there for a few weeks before they make the decision to come over and talk," she said.
"Often they are feeling quite alone with their feelings about climate change and we talk about that and how their skills set and interests can be used to help and I connect them into groups of people working on climate action together.
"Even today I had six strangers come over to talk about climate change with me."
Former Bega High School student Hannah Doole took to the streets of Brisbane on Monday, along with around 50 other Extinction Rebellion protesters, as part of a slow cycle through the centre of the city, disrupting the morning's peak hour commute.
The cycle to Queensland Parliament was followed by a rally at King George Square, with protesters adhering to strict COVID-19 regulations as they called for Australia to commit to a binding target of zero net carbon emissions by 2025, overseen by a citizen's assembly.
"Governments and policymakers have utterly failed to do what needs to be done to protect us from the looming threat of social and ecological collapse," Ms Doole said.
"Politicians are doing everything in their power to prop up destructive industries and taking no steps to prevent runaway climate change.
"Their track record shows that they cannot be trusted to act in the public interest."