Glitter and glamour at Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

Thousands of revellers hit the streets for one of the world's largest gay and lesbian festivals - the Sydney Mardi Gras parade.

Organisers said about 250,000 people came out to watch the parade down Sydney's Oxford Street.

The annual parade began as a protest in the 1970s, but now has almost 200 floats and thousands of marching participants.

Early rain showers threatened to dampen spirits (and smear body paint) - but soon cleared

Dancing broke out in the streets before the parade even began

The parade was led by motorcyclists from the "dykes on bikes" group

Members of the Tiwi Islands aborginal transgender community ran a successful crowdfunding campaign to send 30 people from their remote Northern Territory home to the parade for the first time.

Political statements - including support for detained refugees - harkened back to the parade's original purpose.

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