IT WAS supposed to mark a celebration of Harmony Day in Mackay, but what followed has been anything but harmonious.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Greg Williamson and councillors joined the Mackay Amnesty International branch to put their names to a document declaring the Mackay region one of Queensland's "refugee welcome zones".

It was a gesture, rather than a pledge for money, or people, but within 24 hours, torrents of abuse and vile comments were being hurled at members of the local Amnesty International group, Cr Williamson and other councillors.

The Daily Mercury understands there have been death threats also.

By Friday, the Mackay Amnesty International branch leader had been forced into hiding, and declined an interview for this story, but Queensland refugee campaigner Shankar Kasynathan spoke on their behalf, to convey the message the group would not stop fighting for the rights of refugees.

"Australia is a welcoming country. The Mackay Council demonstrated that. And those jurisdictions are not alone," Mr Kasynathan said.

"Next week Amnesty International Australia is launching our 'My New Neighbour' campaign.

"The 'refugee welcome zones' are a diversity of areas across the country that have put their hands up and said 'we can do our bit'."

On the receiving end of much of the backlash, Cr Williamson hoped the Mackay community could rise above the vilification.

"Unfortunately, whether it was misconstrued or people heard the words asylum seekers... it had nothing to do with that at all, it's refugees," he said.

"It has been blown out of proportion to some extent.

"We can understand genuine concerns of enclaves being built but that is not what it is at all.

"All we're saying is this is a community that already has a very good multi- cultural base; if anyone wants to come up here, we have a community that cares.

"In the past five years we have welcomed hundreds of people in our citizenship ceremonies from 79 different nationalities around the world to settle in Mackay.

"A lot of the comments that are being inboxed are not from Mackay.

"There are people around Australia that have an agenda against refugees and it is understandable when you hear some of the news reports in the south that blame certain groups of refugees for lawlessness."

Cr Williamson said the declaration was simply an act of goodwill.