Central Park was buzzing with residents of all ages who joined thousands across Australia on Monday evening in an attempt to gain the attention of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Armidale Rural Australians for Refugees hosted the rally to stop the deportation of 267 people, 37 of whom are babies, back to the detention facilities on Nauru and Manus Island.

Locals such as child nurse Maxine Ross were invited to speak at the event, airing their concerns in the city park.

“The children the government intends to send back to Nauru have already been traumatised,” Ms Ross said. 

“A 2015 report to the Australian Human Rights Commission by eminent paediatricians showed that 90 per cent of the 69 children tested - under the age of six - showed the highest levels for emotional, developmental and growth delays as well as other anxiety behaviours due to post traumatic stress. 

“I perform the same test with children on an almost daily basis. 

“It is very rare to score one child in this band.”

Father Ron Perrott repeated words of the Catholic spokesman on refugees and former refugee, Bishop Vincent Long.

“The Catholic Church continues to oppose mandatory detention and offshore detention as it does not respect the dignity of people seeking our help,” he said.

Monday’s rally was one of a series of events held to protest the treatment of refugees.

Members of the Armidale Rural Australians for Refugees group hope to see more demonstrators at their next rally on Sunday, March 20.