About 40 women and men and several children took part in the protest against the proposed regulations that threaten to take away the option of home birth.

From mid-2010, all midwives will need professional indemnity insurance as a condition of practice.Insurance companies have not provided such cover since 2001.

Macedon Ranges BaBs (Birthing and Babies support) co-ordinator Tanya Graham said the turnout had been pleasing.

"With anything like this, you are a bit nervous because you are putting yourself out there. It makes you question if other people support the issue, and from the turnout I think they do."

The protest, aimed at generating interest in the community, drew people from Gisborne, Woodend Macedon, Lancefield, Sunbury, Bacchus Marsh and Bendigo.

"The positive thing is that it got people around Gisborne interested and that was the aim - to spark public interest in the cause.

Macedon Ranges Maternity Coalition member Rachael McLeod said the turnout showed there were people committed to the cause.

"There is quite a strong home birth movement out there. As part of the Maternity Coalition, we are about advocating that women should have a choice,"she said.

"This is not a home-birth issue. It is an issue about women having two choices. That choice is being stripped."

Ms McLeod said women from the Macedon Ranges Maternity Coalition and Macedon Ranges BaBs groups would be meeting with Macedon MP Joanne Duncan and McEwan MP Fran Bailey in coming weeks.