Potentially dangerous swells are set to pound the south-west coast on Friday with rogue waves as high as 15 metres predicted out to sea.
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Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Chris Godfred said "significant waves" of eight to nine metres were predicted during the peak of Friday's cold front.
Mr Godfred said that meant every third wave could be eight to nine metres, and once or twice during the day a wave of 14 to 15 metres could hit in the open ocean.
Closer to shore, he said waves would be half as high - about four to five metres - as it comes into the beach but not where it actually hits the shore.
Unless you're a very experienced water user in terms of surfing or boating, I'd well advise people to stay away
- Chris Godfred
From about 10pm Thursday, wave heights of five metres would hit the region and building up during Friday morning, increasing to six metres about 7am before peaking from midday and throughout the afternoon.
Mr Godfred said weather systems like the ones predicted for tomorrow usually hit the region once a year.
He said that with dangerous conditions expected, people were advised to head the warnings.
"Unless you're a very experienced water user in terms of surfing or boating, I'd well advise people to stay away," Mr Godfred said.
"Even if you're on the beach or coastline you've really got to keep a careful eye out.
"Regardless of the actual wave heights, tides are going to be higher than normal as well."
Mr Godfred said that the overall sea level and water might potentially be in places where you normally wouldn't expect it to be.
Senior Sergeant Chris Asenjo, of Warrnambool police, warned people, especially those towing caravans, to drive to the conditions.
He said there would be restricted access to some tourist spots along the Great Ocean Road, but the road would remain open.
Mr Godfred said coastal flooding was not expected to be a massive risk.
"The tides, and the surge on top of the tides, means the sea level will tend to be higher than usual," he said.
The tides and the surge on top of the tides means the sea level will tend to be higher than usual.
Winds gusts of up to 80km/h are expected on Friday while the temperature drops to a high of 14 degrees.
"There'll be quite a drop in temperature so I'm hopeful that will put people off going near water," he said.
The fall in temperatures follows last weekend's unseasonally warm temperatures where the mercury climbed to 31.8 degrees on Saturday.
Mr Godfred said that while the month's highest temperature of 32.3 wasn't a record, it was quite rare to get into the mid-30s in April.
