The mighty plant is nicknamed the 'corpse flower' because its smell has been compared to rotting meat or dog poo.

Thousands of people have flocked to the Geelong Botanic Gardens to catch a glimpse of the rare 'corpse flower' as it blooms.

Visitors to Australia’s Geelong Botanic Gardens got a big whiff of a vile stench over the past couple days, all stemming from the short-lived bloom of a corpse flower.

The Geelong Botanic Gardens corpse flower is in bloom for the first time in the city, with visitors set to flock to the site to soak up the rare event and foul smell.

Thousands have lined up in Melbourne to catch a glimpse of the corpse flower, which only blooms once in a decade.