Around 250 people attended a marriage equality vigil in Tasmania, Australia, last night (17 May).

The protest was held outside a national anti-marriage equality rally, which was addressed by homophobic evangelical pastor and former tennis star Margaret Court.

The Excellent Marriage conference was attended by around 350 people, including the main advocate of the 2004 ban on same-sex marriages, former Senator Guy Barnett, as well as high-profile anti-gay marriage campaigner Reverend Campbell Markham.

Those attending the vigil held placards and banners declaring 'Equally Excellent', handed out flyers and chanted, 'same sex, same rights, marriage equality now'.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesman Rodney Croome, said the vigil was a great success.

'It was wonderful to see so many people from such a diverse range of backgrounds attending the vigil', Mr Croome said.

'As well as LGBTI people and our family members there were representatives from the union movement, Young Labor and Amnesty International and many young heterosexual families with children, and older heterosexual couples.

'Those attending the Excellent Marriage rally were under no illusion about how widely and strongly the pro-equality cause is supported.'

Margaret Court sparked a storm of criticism when she branded being gay a 'sin' and activists called for the Margaret Court tennis arena in Melbourne to renamed during the Australian Open earlier this year.

Organizers of the rally ran a video competition in the run-up to the event but had a nasty surprise when the winner Rowan Carmichael was revealed to be gay

Carmichael, who does not come out in the video and speaks about marriage in gender neutral terms, says he entered the competition to show his support for marriage.

He said: 'I entered the competition because I wanted to show that a gay man can want an excellent marriage just as much as anyone else and that we all have more in common than apart.

'When the organisers of the competition found out I am gay they removed my entry, but friends, family and some supportive clergy vouched that what I said in the clip is what I genuinely believe and it was allowed to stay in the competition.

'In the end I won by about forty votes.'

Carmichael's prize of $500 was not presented last night but he was congratulated for his winning entry by Reverend Markham.

Watch the winning video below: