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Record Deluge Hits Great Ocean Road as Recovery Begins

Officials now focus on clean-up, urging caution around closures and hazardous debris.

Overview

  • Authorities reported more than 170–186 mm of rain fell in hours around Wye River and Lorne, breaking local records and triggering sudden flash floods.
  • Emergency crews conducted multiple rescues, including an aerial winch from a roof at Cumberland River, and evacuated large holiday parks with hundreds seeking relief in Lorne and Apollo Bay.
  • Dozens of vehicles and caravans were swept away or damaged, with officials estimating roughly 10 to 20 vehicles lost and warning that some caravan parks could be closed for weeks.
  • Sections of the Great Ocean Road remain shut between Lorne and Skenes Creek as debris, damaged roads, electrocution risks and biological hazards keep exclusion zones in place.
  • Officials have not confirmed serious injuries or missing persons, though one outlet reported a child was airlifted, and forecasters warn the unstable system is delivering heavy rain and hazardous surf to parts of NSW.