Heagerty described Monday as a “reverse Boxing Day” as holidaymakers head home after the long weekend, rather than travelling away from home as many did on December 26.
“Lots of people on the road today means people need to be aware of conditions around them,” he said.
The weather bureau has predicted that Monday’s cool change will hit Melbourne between 5pm and 6pm, causing temperatures to fall by 10 to 15 degrees in just 15 to 20 minutes.
But strong winds are predicted to come with the change. Trainor warned those in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs that gusts could reach 80 km/h from 5pm into the evening.
Meanwhile, early morning walkers in Elwood were greeted with an unusual sight on Monday: a four-wheel drive got bogged on the beach’s shoreline.
Today reporter Christine Ahern was reporting about the hot weather forecast when a cameraman spotted the car stuck on the water’s edge around dawn.
The driver, Mohammed, appeared on a live cross later, telling Ahern he was from NSW and was confident he could get his car out of the sand. “People go to the moon. All those things get done. Am I going to be able to get a car out of the water? Come on,” he said.
A bulldozer later towed the car away.
Elsewhere, metropolitan firefighters were kept busy overnight as a blaze destroyed a house on Lady Nelson Way in Taylors Lakes around 3am.
In a statement, Fire Rescue Victoria said a “significant structural collapse” initially stopped crews from entering the two-storey home, but they eventually declared the fire under control at 3.43am.
The aftermath of the fire in Taylors Lakes on Monday morning.Credit: Paul Rovere
“It has not been established if there was anyone inside however there are signs of [the house] being abandoned,” FRV said.
With Roy Ward
