Warrnambool City Council say clean up to take up to three weeks

Moyne Shire fared better with its clean up efforts expected to take a week or more.

Wild wind gusts reached speeds of 109kmh in Port Fairy and 106kmh in Warrnambool, ripping roofs from homes, sending trampolines over fences and bringing down power lines.

SES confirmed its Warrnambool unit was the busiest in the state with more than 200 jobs received in the 24 hours to 3pm on Friday, September 8.

Warrnambool City Council chief executive officer Andrew Mason said the windy conditions were "among the worst in recent memory" and took a toll on vegetation, including a couple of mature trees in the botanic gardens.

On Monday, September 11 Mr Mason said a combination of council staff and contractors were carrying out clean up works with a focus on hazards first, such as dangerous tree limbs, followed by removal of debris.

He said the council received a number of calls from the public in relation to council trees causing issues such as blocking driveways.

Mr Mason said the Friendly Societies' Park bar was "destroyed" and council would "need to discuss with stakeholders the best course of action" while AquaZone's pools were closed over the weekend due to damaged wall cladding.

Moyne Shire chief executive officer Brett Davis said most of its damage was to trees in the southern half of the shire, estimating the clean up would continue over the next "week or so".

"This was one of the most widespread storm events the southern part of the shire has experienced for some time and we ask the community to be patient as we work through the clean up process over the coming week," Mr Davis said.

There was damage to a toilet block roof at Port Fairy's South Beach which would be repaired soon and some road signs were also damaged, he said.

He said crews and contractors worked to clear roads on Friday with most open Friday afternoon and the clean up began on Saturday.

He said there was no need to call council unless a tree had fallen and was blocking the road or there were hanging branches which look as though they may fall, asking residents to report it to 1300 656 564.

Port Fairy SES unit controller Steve McDowell said it completed 62 jobs on Friday, four jobs on Saturday, two on Sunday and one on Monday.

He said the Port Fairy unit also sent a crew of four volunteers to help its Warrnambool unit which had 60 outstanding jobs on Saturday morning, helping with about 17 of those call outs.

Mr McDowell expects calls to continue "trickling in" for the next week.

"We saw a mixture of trees dropping branches but also trees pulling out of the ground," Mr McDowell said. "Those trees will be stressed now that they've been in the wind and might drop some branches over the next couple of days."

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