Victorians have dug deep to raise over $16.8 million for seriously ill children with the Good Friday Appeal yielding record-breaking results.

Thousands of Victorians who participated in the 83rd anniversary of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal have helped raise $16,846,396 – over $400,000 more than last year.

The Appeal’s executive director Deborah Hallmark said more than 60,000 Victorians joined the fun at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday with thousands more watching the Channel 7 telethon or attending fundraisers.

She said the record-breaking tally reflected the continued generosity of Australians.

“This is an incredible result for the kids, from wonderfully dedicated communities across the state,” she Ms Hallmark on Saturday.

“From our tin rattlers to our corporate supporters, from our regional fundraisers to our city collectors – many tens of thousands of people have come together on Good Friday to deliver this wonderful result.”

Money raised from the event will fund state-of-the-art medical equipment, research and scholarship opportunities.

Since its inception in 1931, the Good Friday Appeal has generated more than $274 million for the Royal Children’s Hospital.