Imagine waking up to a serene beachside campground, only to find yourself in a fight for safety as cars are swept out to sea and floodwaters rise at an alarming rate. This was the terrifying reality for residents and visitors in Wye River, Victoria, on Thursday, where flash flooding turned a peaceful holiday into a chaotic emergency. But here’s where it gets even more shocking: three cars were carried out to sea, and a beloved campground was completely submerged, leaving many scrambling for safety. This isn’t just a local story—it’s a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictable power.
By 3:11 pm, the situation had escalated dramatically. Caravan parks along the iconic Great Ocean Road, including those at Carlisle River, Cumberland River, and Lorne Foreshore, were being evacuated as heavy rains caused rivers to burst their banks. The Great Ocean Road itself was closed in both directions between Skenes Creek and Wye River, leaving travelers stranded and 6,500 homes without power. Social media footage captured the harrowing sight of cars being dragged into the ocean at Wye River, while videos from the Big4 holiday park showed rapid floodwaters engulfing sections of the site.
Wye River, a popular beach town just 150 kilometers from Melbourne, is usually a tranquil escape. But on this day, it became the epicenter of a crisis. The State Emergency Service (SES) issued a flash flood emergency warning at 2:36 pm, urging residents in Wye River, Kennett River, Cumberland River, Lorne, and surrounding areas to seek shelter immediately. The message was clear: floodwaters posed a grave danger.
Melbourne resident Rebecca Scott was camping at the Big4 park with her daughter when the river overflowed around 1 pm. ‘It was like something out of a movie,’ Scott recounted. ‘One minute we were enjoying our holiday, and the next, the water was rising fast. You could feel the panic set in.’ She described a frantic scene as campers tried to salvage belongings, unplug electrical equipment, and flee to safety. Scott was forced to abandon her tent, bedding, and camp kitchen, escaping in her car as the park’s playground transformed into a makeshift reservoir. ‘We were driving past submerged campsites,’ she said, ‘seeing people running toward their belongings in sheer disbelief.’
And this is the part most people miss: Scott’s escape was cut short when rising water blocked her exit at the park’s gates, forcing her to abandon her car and evacuate on foot to the Wye River pub. Inside the pub, Michelle Mackenzie, who was visiting from Lorne, witnessed the chaos firsthand. ‘Eskies, chairs, everything was being washed away,’ she said. ‘The pub was packed with people evacuated from the campgrounds, and we could see three cars floating out to sea. It was surreal.’
The scale of the disaster was evident as multiple fire trucks were stationed in the town, and the main bridge crossing the river was closed. The weather bureau recorded a staggering 166mm of rain in the Mt Cowley area between 9 am and 3 pm, highlighting the intensity of the storm. Residents were advised to park their cars undercover, away from trees, and to check on family and neighbors. The SES warned that floodwaters can rise swiftly, and heavy rainfall had increased the risk of landslides in the Otways. Drivers were urged to avoid flooded areas and call Triple Zero (000) in life-threatening situations.
This event raises a thought-provoking question: How prepared are we for extreme weather events like this? As climate patterns continue to shift, incidents like the Wye River flooding may become more frequent. Is this a wake-up call for better infrastructure and emergency planning, or simply an unavoidable consequence of living in a changing world? Share your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear your perspective. Stay safe, and stay informed.
