The contingent has arrived on flights touching down in Sydney and Melbourne from Singapore as part of the two-way travel bubble between the two countries.

None of the fully vaccinated passengers are required to enter quarantine.

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson says the students are the first from overseas since small numbers returned in November last year.

"Universities have worked closely with government and health authorities for more than 18 months on plans to safely welcome back our international friends," she said on Sunday.

"Around 130,000 international students remain outside Australia and they are all very eager to re-join their classmates."

Those landing on Sunday will be joined on December 7 by about 500 others as part of a NSW government initiative.

Ms Jackson says although small in number their presence is a sign of things to come.

"We're confident that today's arrivals are just the first of many to return, at scale, for the start of first semester next year," she said.

Australia is now almost 85 per cent double dosed with more than 91 per cent of people 16 and over having had at least their first jab.

The nation recorded 1363 local cases on Saturday, 1166 in Victoria where a 10-year-old became the nation's youngest fatality of the pandemic among five deaths.

NSW registered 182 cases, the ACT 14 and the Northern Territory one.

The NT's mask mandate was also lifted with locked down Katherine and Robinson River the exceptions, while changes are afoot regarding who can now enter the Top End.

The territory's home quarantine period will be trimmed from 14 days to seven although arrivals will need a negative test within the previous 72 hours and negative results on days five, eight and 14.

Meanwhile, anti-vaccine mandate protests drew large crowds in both Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday, with actions also staged in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and regional centres.

Watched by police, those in the Victorian capital chanted "kill the bill" and yelled "sack Dan Andrews" while carrying placards featuring a range of anti-government slogans.

United Australia Party leader and federal MP Craig Kelly made an appearance in Sydney's Martin Place after visiting a Melbourne protest last weekend, while former senator Clive Palmer was on hand in Brisbane.

Queensland state MP Brittany Lauga has revealed she contacted police after she and other members of the legislature received an email with "threats of terrorism, extremism and violence".

She condemned the threats, saying "this is not peaceful protest".

Australian Associated Press