The enormous pinniped, believed to be known locally as ‘Henry’, was watched by crowds as it made its way through the town, before heading into the only petrol station.
A sleepy holiday town was thrown into mayhem after an enormous elephant seal made its way through the centre.
In Point Lonsdale, about an hour and a half south of Melbourne, the seal emerged from the waves and shocked tourists.
Authorities responded to the situation and accompanied the seal as it crossed roadways into town.
Traffic had to be stopped to allow the pinniped, known locally as Henry, to safely cross the road.
“Henry” then allegedly broke inside the town’s sole gas station and attempted to smash another window.
According to experts, this could have happened because it became confused by its mirror and mistook it for another seal.
Members of the public were told to stay at least 30 metres away from the seal, and at least 50 metres if they had a dog with them.
Eventually, authorities were able to persuade Henry to return to the sea by getting them to lunge at an officer who was slowly backing towards the water.
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Crowds gathered on the beach as Henry took to the waves once more, leaving the town behind.
Elephant seals are the largest pinnipeds, a classification that includes seals and walruses, and derive their name from the males’ unusual trunk-like nose.
They are genuinely enormous, with larger males weighing up to 5,000kg and developing to be 6 metres long.
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They are also among the deepest diving mammals, with one being recorded at a depth of 2,388 metres, though the average depth that they dive to seek out prey is around 300 to 600 metres.