Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has laid flowers at a makeshift memorial in Sydney for the victims of a central city cafe siege which left three people dead.


Abbott laid a bouquet of white flowers at the memorial in Martin Place while his wife Margie laid a bouquet of red flowers. Abbott also wrote a message and waved at the crowd but did not address them.


Hundreds of people have been leaving flowers at the memorial.


A gunman took 17 hostages Monday at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe. The siege ended 16 hours later in a barrage of gunfire that left two hostages and the Iranian-born gunman dead, and a nation that has long prided itself on its peace rocked to its core.


The innocent victims were identified as Katrina Dawson, 38, a lawyer and mother of three, and Tori Johnson, 34, the manager of the establishment.


Man Haron Monis, the 50-year-old man gunman, was out on bail despite very serious charges in separate cases.