Tears of joy have flowed at a central Sydney park as thousands of equality supporters learned a majority of Australians voted 'yes' in the same-sex marriage postal vote.
The colourful crowd erupted on Wednesday morning after it was announced 61.6 per cent of participants voted to change the Marriage Act.
Singer John Paul Young launched into his hit Love Is In The Air as couples kissed and friends embraced, the mood shifting in an instant from nervous anticipation to a party.
As bottles of champagne were popped and rainbow flags flew high, Equality Campaign organiser Alex Greenwich told the crowd it had just experienced a huge moment in history.
"We will reflect on this day as a day that has truly made our country proud," he said.
"We will reflect on this day as a day that has delivered an unequivocal mandate to our federal parliament to get on and get this done."
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce celebrated the "amazing outcome" and told Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to get on with the task of legalising same-sex marriage.
"We now expect it, we need it to be delivered and we need it to be delivered fast. Get on and do it Mr Turnbull," the business leader told the crowd.
"I was so proud of Ireland in May 2015 when they became the first nation in the world to vote for marriage equality. But today I am even more proud of Australia, the country of my selection."
Mr Joyce also thanked his partner, Shane Lloyd, who worked on the Yes campaign.
Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe said it was an important outcome for many Australians and he hoped politicians now acted.
"Any of them, on either side of politics, if they play around with this issue any longer it will be at their own peril," he said at Prince Alfred Park.
The former athlete compared the campaign for a 'yes' vote to his battles in the pool - in that a lot of the hard work happened behind the scenes.
"Most of it is talking to people to get them on board ... and it has been almost as gruelling (as training)," he said.
Comedian Magda Szubanski said legalising same-sex marriage would remove one of the last remaining pieces of inequality.
"None of us can live in a bubble where we try to pretend that other people don't exist," she said.
Szubanski said it was time to be grateful that Australia was a country where LGBTIQ people weren't persecuted.
"We can rely on the Australian people to do the bloody right thing."
Prominent activist Tiernan Brady acknowledged the two-month campaign had been tough for many in the LGBTI community.
"We have had a public vote on our dignity," he said.
Mr Brady said for many gay Australians the postal survey stirred up national conversations "about whether you're worth it" and "some of the most horrendous things" had been said.
But he also congratulated equality activists for remaining focused despite the temptation to "go negative" during the campaign.
vote, possibly as high as 60 per cent.
