Sydney - Several people have been arrested as the Canberra leg of the beleaguered Beijing torch relay kicked off Thursday at Lake Burley Griffin.

A barrage of projectiles, including water bottles, have been thrown as pro-China and pro-Tibet demonstrators clash even as an intense security cordon and steel barricade on the 16-kilometre route of the relay turns the capital into a forbidden city.

Thousands of Chinese supporters and a small group of Tibetan protesters have descended on the Australian capital, lining the route of the torch relay as it snakes past Parliament House, the National War Memorial and across the lake.

Earlier, Aboriginal elder Matilda House led the welcome to country smoking ceremony. There was wide applause as the torch was lit in Canberra, and the first runner, former Young Australian of the Year and indigenous leader Tania Major, flanked by police and several Chinese flame attendants, made her way to the lake from the Reconciliation Place.

The 80 torch-bearers include Australian sporting heroes, swimmers Libby Trickett, Matt Welsh and Adam Pine, journalists Jacquelin Magnay and Mark Beretta, and immunologist and former Australian of the Year Ian Frazer. The final runner will be swimming great Ian Thorpe.

Australia will be represented by 440 athletes at the Beijing Olympics, beginning in less than 100 days. (dpa)