Residents awoke to find the river rising fast and encroaching on the caravan park and surrounding houses as it hit a level of 1.8 metres, half-a-metre above the level at which the mouth is usually opened.

Ron Irvine, who has farmed beside the Curdies estuary for 50 years, said it was the highest level he had ever seen.

“It got to 1.6 metres about 10 years ago and 1.5 metres a couple of years ago, but I’ve never seen it this high,” Mr Irvine said.

Mr Irvine’s farm takes in seven kilometres of Curdies River shoreline and more than 100 hectares of his land was under water yesterday.

Wendy Kerr, relief caretaker at the caravan park, watched as water rose to within centimetres of flooding six bungalows and blocked access to many. Access to surrounding houses was also blocked.

Parks Victoria decided to open the mouth when alerted to the situation by residents.

Darren Shiell, Parks Victoria ranger-in-charge at Port Campbell, said the decision was made due to the imminent threat to property.

“We would have done it last week but the sea and wind conditions were unsuitable,” Mr Shiell said.

“We planned it for next Wednesday because we’re expecting good conditions then, but the heavy overnight rain created this situation. We really have to do it today.”

Mr Shiell said the sea conditions could result in the mouth closing again, but he was confident the river level would fall before that happened.

Oxygen level tests are normally carried out before an opening, but Mr Shiell said he allowed the opening to go ahead without the tests because of the urgency.

The opening was delayed a couple of hours when authorities were alerted that commercial eel fisherman Zac Taylor had 50 nets in the river, at risk of being swept out to sea when the mouth opened. 

He was given time to lift his $15,000 worth of gear before the excavation went ahead.

Port Campbell excavation contractor Ian White opened the mouth just before 5pm and the river started to flow.

“It started to flow well and if the sea backs off a bit it will open up more and stay open,” Mr White told The Standard. 

“But a few big waves could close it over again.” 

shynes@fairfaxmedia.com.au