Local Yes23 groups from Bendigo, Castlemaine, Maldon, Newstead and Harcourt were joined at the Walk for Yes event by Echuca and Moama members, who caught the 9.20am service from Bendigo.

'Bendigo for Yes' coordinator Sue Fricke said the contingent nearly filled the train.

"There were five carriages and it was standing room only," she said.

The country campaigners were among a crowd police estimated at 30,000, which gathered at the State Library and walked down Swanston Street to Federation Square.

As the large open space filled up, Yes supporters were entertained by speeches, including from Indigenous affairs minister Linda Burney, and music from Peter Garret, Marlon Motlop and Spiderbait.

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Despite polling suggesting the referendum proposal is unlikely to succeed, the mood at the event was overwhelmingly optimistic, with the crowd taking up chants about winning and changing the course of history.

Despite "a couple of nasty incidents" at the Bendigo showgrounds, the Bendigo region activists were also upbeat.

The groups have been handing out flyers at farmers markets and other events and have so far letterboxed about 40,000 homes.

"We've got a really big crew of volunteers - 350 have signed up so far and every day we're getting at least three more," Fricke said.

"I think it's going to increase as we get closer."

The sold out "Concert for the Yes vote" at Castlemaine's Theatre Royal last week had increased engagement, she said.

"People have been ringing us asking for badges and corflutes."

Castlemaine Yes23 organiser Kaye Swanton described the Thursday night show, which featured a range of high profile musicians and speakers, as "very moving".

"There was an amazing spirit and generosity of the artists and participants," she said.

"I think it reflected the generosity of the Uluru statement.

According to Swanton, the "key message" is that Australia has "one opportunity to finish the job that was started by the 1967 referendum and to accept the generous invitation offered by the Uluru statement".

Sue Fricke agrees, and says anxiety about the issue is unfounded.

"If people are worried that the focus on Indigenous issues or giving Indigenous people the Voice to Parliament somehow diminishes the opportunities for other pressing social issues to be addressed, that's nonsense.

"It's not pie. It won't run out. There's plenty for everyone," she said.

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