Man dies after cliff collapses above beach on New Year's Eve

A young man has lost his life in a horrific freak accident at a quiet beach in Victoria on New Year's Eve.

The 28-year-old died as he was being airlifted to hospital after part of a cliff collapsed at Southside Beach at about 2.15pm, sending rocks and debris falling onto a group of people.

Three people in the group of six were struck by falling rocks and debris that landed on them from 30 metres above.

The incident happened close to the Jarosite Mine Track at Southside Beach - a nude beach not far from one of Australia's most famous surf breaks Bells Beach, 100km south west of Melbourne.

Soon after the first cliff collapse, it is understood Air Ambulance crews saw a second cliff face collapsing nearby.

Southside Beach has been cordoned off to the public with police descending on the area to commence investigations into the fatal accident, the Herald Sun reported.

The 28-year-old man suffered serious upper body injuries when the cliff face collapsed.

He was treated at the scene by paramedics, receiving CPR as distressed friends looked on.

He was then evacuated by helicopter to Alfred Hospital in Melbourne but died on the way.

A man and a woman, also in their 20s, suffered non-life threatening injuries and were seen wearing slings.

About a dozen distressed beachgoers watched the scene as the man was treated.

One man described the horror which unfolded just metres away.

'A woman started running towards me screaming when I was in the water,' he told the Herald Sun.

'I looked behind her and I saw a great big dark cloud of dust.'

The man who did not wish to be named said the cliff at Southside Beach should never have been open to the public.

'I saw them all sitting right beneath it – it wasn't safe – beaches like this shouldn't be opened.'

Ambulance Victoria paramedics rushed to the scene to assist the injured after being called at 2.20pm on Friday.

Air Ambulance air crew reported seeing a second cliff face collapse 5km from the fatal incident while flying to Southside Beach.

It has been reported cliff faces in the area have been weakened by high winds and storms in recent times.

The belongings of the group hit by the debris remained covered by fallen rocks as police, SES crew and investigators continued working at the scene on Friday evening.