An ocean away from the United States, more than 100 people marched along the picturesque Cairns Esplanade in solidarity with people in America after landmark abortion access case Roe v. Wade was overturned.
US-born law student Mary Larson told the crowd not to be complacent about something similar happening in Australia.
"Sometimes I think that people watch US news like it's some sort of disturbing reality TV show," she said.
"But I just wanted to point out that things can happen here if we're not vigilant."
She said people needed to pay attention to what was happening with the laws.
"I think there are people in the United States who do pay attention and will be heartened by displays of support from around the world," she said.
"I think it's also a little bit humiliating ... for Americans, who for a long time have held themselves up and held up by the world as being this sort of model of democracy and liberty, to be finding themselves in these political positions of frustration and despair."
Cairns general practitioner Heather McNamee said she provided abortion access through telehealth in Far North Queensland.
Dr McNamee said it was frightening to see in America how quickly rights could be taken away.
Dr McNamee said more needed to be done in Australia to improve reproductive health access in regional areas.
"We want Queensland Health and the health minister to go to each health district and go 'show me your pathway for abortion, show me how you are offering public abortion services to your community'," she said.
She said doctors with strong beliefs would not be forced to perform abortions but could not obstruct the care.
She said it was an individual's human right.
"Even if people feel a bit squeamish about the whole idea about abortion, they have to realise that the alternative is much, much worse," Dr McNamee said.
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at James Cook University, Caroline de Costa, reminded attendees to be vigilant.
"We have services and we have telehealth and we have tele-abortion, but this is not evenly available across the country," she said.
She said there was a big need for better services for women in rural and remote areas.
"We still need to put other services in place to reach the standard that I think we all aspire to, but we also have to watch what is happening to those services, what is happening to that accessibility and make sure that it is not taken away."
