Elton John pledges $1 million to bush fire relief during Aussie concert

Sir Elton John performs on stage during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. Photo / Getty Images.

Sir Elton John has announced a $1 million donation to victims of the "apocalyptic" bushfires in Australia during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

The British music icon, 71, was performing at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Tuesday when he made the pledge to thousands of fans.

"You should all be in awe of the work that the firefighters are doing," John said.

"There are people out there who have lost their lives trying to save homes, there are people who have lost their lives and their homes.

"And last, is the plight of the animals and loss of their habitat that frankly, is on a biblical scale and heartbreaking.

"Therefore tonight I will be pledging $1 million."

The announcement received a standing ovation and roar of approval from the crowd.

"To see what is happening here breaks my heart … and I love Australia so much … and to those who have lost their homes I want to say God bless, I hope your lives will be repaired soon," he said.

Elton John performs at HBF Park in Perth in November. Photo / AP.

It wasn't the only reference to Australia's current crisis – prior to the show, fans were also greeted by volunteers collecting donations out the front.

Meanwhile, the Rocket Man star's announcement comes as celebrity pledges pour in from all over the world.

On Tuesday, Aussie star Chris Hemsworth revealed he was donating $1 million to bushfire relief funds, while singer Pink, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, and Kylie and Dannii Minogue have all previously announced $500,000 donations to the cause.

View this post on Instagram

Hi everyone. Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia. My family and I are contributing a million dollars. Hopefully you guys can chip in too. Every penny counts so whatever you can muster up is greatly appreciated. In my bio I’ve added links to support the fire fighters, organisations and charities who are working flat out to provide support and relief during this devastating and challenging time. Beyond appreciative to everyone around the world for their well wishes and donations. It really does make a difference, so dig deep! Love ya.

A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) on Jan 6, 2020 at 6:34pm PST

It's not just celebrities digging deep: Comedian Celeste Barber's grassroots Facebook fundraiser has so far raised a staggering $44 million, much of it from everyday Australians and international wellwishers.

The Australian bushfires also dominated the conversation during the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on Monday, with many award winners using their time on stage to draw attention to the ongoing crisis.