A 61-metre tree long crashed through the roof of a Belgrave pub early Saturday morning, about the time the hotel would normally be serving last drinks.
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Micawber Tavern owner Kristina Beatty-Johnston said luckily it had been a quiet night so the watering hole closed early.
SES crews received reports that a huge mountain ash had come down about 1am, blocking both lanes of Monbulk Road for more than five hours.
A big tree fell on a little pub at Belgrave. Everyone ok. Sadly no beers being served at the moment.. pic.twitter.com/qi7vkYm44M — Michael Scanlan (@MScanlan7) August 2, 2014
Ms Beatty-Johnston said the tree destroyed the office where the duty manager would normally be finishing up.
‘‘Our duty manager who was on last night was very lucky because she’d be normally sitting at the desk that is no longer."
‘‘It’s taken out the main office, the front entrance, one dining room, kitchen, storeroom, toilets.
‘‘The main section is the office and the main kitchen and storeroom: that’s just gone.’’
While the damage could be in in the hundreds of thousands, Ms Beatty-Johnston said she was glad no one was injured.
She said the hotel had been hit by floods a couple of years ago.
‘‘I’m just going, oh my gosh, here we are again, but at the same time I’m looking at what’s going on in the world and I’m thinking, hey we’re fine, we’re lucky.
‘‘Seriously, it looks shocking in here. You sort of stand here a bit shell-shocked but you know, you go, it’s OK, no one’s hurt.’’
The tree will not be removed until Tuesday.
