It is understood he is aged 32 and married with young children.

Police said the tanker driver from Ballarat told them he saw the man lying on the side of the Camperdown-Lismore Road about 6.30am, but was unable to avoid him.

Ambulance Victoria paramedics from Camperdown attended, but found the man deceased.

The victim’s vehicle was later found parked beside the road about a kilometre from where he was hit.

Sergeant Chris Brown of Warrnambool police said the car was towed to Warrnambool for forensic testing. 

Initial observations suggested it was in working mechanical order and had fuel in the tank.

He said the tanker was heading towards Ballarat when the incident happened on a sweeping bend near Westbank Road. 

Trucking company representatives attended and comforted the distressed driver. Traffic was detoured around the scene for about seven hours.

Police officers attended from Warrnambool, Lismore, Camperdown and Cobden. 

A report is being prepared for the coroner.

The death took Victoria’s road toll to 116 — seven more than the same time last year.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man received minor injuries when a vehicle overturned at Cowleys Creek, east of Timboon, yesterday morning.

Police urged drivers to exercise caution with weather forecasts indicating strong winds and rain across the south-west for the next few days.