Police and State Emergency Service crews pulled a family of four from two cars trapped in rising water beneath the York Street bridge in South Melbourne on Thursday afternoon, as a burst of spring rain turned streets into channels and pushed the city toward half its typical October rainfall in a single day.
Emergency services were called to the underpass about 3:20 p.m. after motorists became stranded in fast-moving runoff. Paramedics said no injuries were reported at the scene. Elsewhere in Port Phillip and Malvern, the SES fielded more than 120 calls for help as drains overwhelmed by intense showers sent water across intersections and into low-lying underpasses.
Inner-city rescues and blocked roads
Images from the South Melbourne incident showed water lapping at car windows under the bridge, a choke point that funnels stormwater from surrounding suburbs toward Port Phillip Bay. Crews also responded to a canal in Elwood where a truck and van were stuck in floodwater, underscoring how quickly Thursday’s cells moved from nuisance pooling to hazardous depths.
The Bureau of Meteorology said several Melbourne gauges recorded about 35 millimetres by late afternoon, with totals still climbing as showers continued into the evening. Forecaster Daniel Hayes told reporters that heavier bursts could add to those numbers before 9 a.m. Friday, with more rain, storms and unsettled weather expected Saturday.
River watches widen beyond the metro
The SES issued flood watches across 18 river catchments in north-east Victoria, Gippsland and central districts, warning that moderately wet soils could produce minor to moderate flooding from Friday into the weekend. Towns north of Ballarat—including Clunes, Creswick and Daylesford—were flagged as the Loddon River catchment absorbs runoff from a developing low and trough.
VicEmergency urged residents to avoid driving through floodwater, monitor warnings through the hotline and app, and prepare household plans if rivers rise. Authorities cautioned that the heaviest rain bands could shift, keeping the focus on flexible readiness rather than a single peak hour.
What forecasters expect next
While Thursday’s drama centred on flash flooding in Melbourne’s inner south, the broader risk is slower riverine flooding that may isolate rural roads and low bridges as water moves downstream. Schools of thunderstorms could redevelop Friday afternoon, adding local spikes on top of catchment-wide totals that may exceed 60 millimetres in some pockets.
For a city that often sees dry springs, the opening week of October has already tested drainage upgrades installed after past flood years. Emergency managers said the South Melbourne rescues were a reminder that even short bursts can trap drivers in familiar commutes—and that the heavier part of the event may still be ahead for regional rivers.