A Bacchus Marsh couple had a terrifying encounter at a popular Warrnambool tourist spot on Saturday.
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Jacinta Templeton, her fiancé Shane Guthridge and their three-year-old son Bodhi Guthridge were staying in Port Fairy for the weekend.
The trio visited Warrnambool and visited the Hopkins River mouth.
Ms Templeton said the three were taking in the sights and capturing some photos.
However, a tragedy was narrowly averted when the three were taken underwater by a massive wave.
"We walked down to the sand and were taking some photos when a massive wave came in and took us all under water," Ms Templeton said.
She said in a twist of fate, Bodhi's jacket got caught on a rock.
"Bodhi's jacket got stuck so he was hanging from it when Shane finally got up from under the water," Ms Templeton said.
"When Shane finally got up from under the water he went to get Bodhi and he was just hanging on the rock screaming and it took him ages to calm down.
"I have been quite upset since thinking of what could have been."
Ms Templeton was also dumped by the wave.
"I was back a bit further as I was taking the photo and it threw me and took me under also.
"The wave was big as it came up and over the rock and knocked my fiancé off. He said it was strong."
Ms Templeton said her son had some scratches and she lost her beanie and sunnies, but she was just relieved.
"We are so lucky," she said.
"Maybe we were just down there at the wrong time but it was quite scary and to think if my son's jacket didn't catch on the rock, I don't know where he would have ended up."
Ms Templeton said she wanted to warn other people of the potential danger.
"I would urge people to be extremely careful if you aren't a strong swimmer and if you are with kids," she said.
"We would have been OK - our fear was more for Bodhi and he's so little and can't swim."
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