Dozens of people who were stranded at Mallacoota in Victoria's east have left onboard a navy vessel.
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Two vessels are at the small community on the state's east coast to evacuate locals and tourists on Friday ahead of worsening conditions over the weekend.
"Now at Mallacoota 57 have already left on the MV Sycamore and they're already on their way," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters on Friday.
"We expect by 5pm this afternoon the HMAS Choules will also be leaving and they can take around 900 on that vessel," he said.
Photojournalist Rachel Mounsey, who detailed the carnage in in Victoria's East Gippsland on New Year's Day, is still on the scene.
"The mood is sombre," she said. "It's probably no different to the rest of Australia."
A 17-hour trip to safety
The Mallacoota evacuees are facing a 17-hour voyage to Western Port and an evacuation centre is likely to be set up at the HMAS Cerberus naval base.
"The ADF is also working now with the state government on setting up evacuation centres and providing accommodation, but not at a tent city," the prime minister said.
Another area being considered for an evacuation centres is Bandiana near Wodonga on the border.
The Mallacoota community had been receiving more than 12,000 litres of fuel a day to ensure the centre of town was operational, Mr Morrison said.
Other isolated communities were also receiving additional supplies, including water.
Up to 24 firefighters were also ferried to the cut-off town at 7am from Lakes Entrance by the Victorian Fisheries Authority to help relieve crews at the scene.
AAP