A group of campers could only watch on as a flash flood washed away theirs cars, tents, and belongings in Australia's Great Ocean Road.

Personal trainer Ella McCulloch, who was on a camping trip, was washing the dishes when a neighbour suddenly screamed out.

"I was washing the dishes when our neighbouring camper screamed out to me. We looked over and the river had turned brown and was flowing fast — and in literally seconds I watched it rise about 3ft. That’s when I knew something was really wrong," McCulloch said.

She added: "We panicked and tried to get as much out of the camper as we could. We were throwing things onto the bed of the camper trailer as it was higher, and rushed to move the car. We managed to get the car to higher ground and I grabbed one small duffle with my laptop, medication, makeup, books — the few important things.

"Within about 10 minutes, the camper trailer had floated away down the river.

"After that, the front of the caravan park started flooding. The entire car park went under and all the cars were submerged. We had to walk through flood water to get to safety on a hill above the park.

"From up there, we could hear caravans and cars crashing into the rocks as they floated down the river and out toward the ocean. It was honestly surreal.

"We lost all our clothes and everything that was in the camper. The car was saved, and thankfully no one was injured or killed — which is the main thing.

"We were evacuated by the SES and had to find accommodation that night. Friends drove three hours to pick us up and we went home the next day (Friday). We weren’t able to access the car again until Monday because they had to clear debris and sludge from the caravan park before it was safe to leave.

"Pretty nuts, honestly. The whole thing happened so quickly. Still trying to process it all — but incredibly grateful everyone is safe. Unfortunately we lost a lot of our things & members of my family are still trying to process the event we went through. Very scary, but again so glad that everyone is safe. Had it happened in the night it wouldn’t have been the same story."

I was washing the dishes when our neighbouring camper screamed out to me. We looked over and the river had turned brown and was flowing fast — and in literally seconds I watched it rise about 3ft. That’s when I knew something was really wrong.

We panicked and tried to get as much out of the camper as we could. We were throwing things onto the bed of the camper trailer as it was higher, and rushed to move the car. We managed to get the car to higher ground and I grabbed one small duffle with my laptop, medication, makeup, books — the few important things.

Within about 10 minutes, the camper trailer had floated away down the river.

After that, the front of the caravan park started flooding. The entire car park went under and all the cars were submerged. We had to walk through flood water to get to safety on a hill above the park.

From up there, we could hear caravans and cars crashing into the rocks as they floated down the river and out toward the ocean. It was honestly surreal.

We lost all our clothes and everything that was in the camper. The car was saved, and thankfully no one was injured or killed — which is the main thing.

We were evacuated by the SES and had to find accommodation that night. Friends drove three hours to pick us up and we went home the next day (Friday). We weren’t able to access the car again until Monday because they had to clear debris and sludge from the caravan park before it was safe to leave.

Pretty nuts, honestly. The whole thing happened so quickly. Still trying to process it all — but incredibly grateful everyone is safe. Unfortunately we lost a lot of our things & members of my family are still trying to process the event we went through. Very scary, but again so glad that everyone is safe. Had it happened in the night it wouldn’t have been the same story.