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

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.

Those who wish to catch a glimpse, or a whiff, should get in quick as the rare bloom only lasts between 24 and 48 hours.

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.

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