Mallacoota could remain cut off from the rest of Victoria for weeks, according to local police.

Key points: The Army has had some very close calls driving on the Princes Highway

The Army has had some very close calls driving on the Princes Highway Police told a public meeting the road would likely remain closed for "a long time"

Police told a public meeting the road would likely remain closed for "a long time" Power has been restored to much of the town and petrol and diesel are available

At a town meeting on Sunday evening, residents were told there was "no timeline" for the Princes Highway between Mallacoota and Orbost to reopen.

"That road is extremely dangerous," Senior Sergeant Rod Findlay said at the meeting.

"The army have driven it a couple of times in their armoured vehicles and they've had some very close calls.

"I'm not going to tell you it will be five days, seven days, 14 days … it's going to be a long time."

People left behind cars and boats unsure when they would be able to collect them. ( ABC News: Ben Knight )

The ABC travelled to Mallacoota on Sunday in armoured Army vehicles, and saw long stretches of road lined with "killer" trees, at risk of falling onto the road at any time.

Holidaymakers who chose not to evacuate in order to stay with their vehicles and camping equipment had their first chance to leave yesterday, when the Princes Highway north of the town was briefly opened.

Some tourists did not even have time to pack up their tents before being evacuated. ( ABC News: Ben Knight )

Police, fire trucks and an ambulance escorted 66 cars to the New South Wales town of Eden.

More are expected to leave in another convoy tomorrow.

They leave behind campgrounds and parks filled with dozens of abandoned cars, boats and caravans.

There is no timeline for when their owners will be able to return to collect them.

Kids played a match of cricket with members of the Army to raise morale in the town. ( ABC News: Ben Knight )

But there has been some good news for Mallacoota residents over the past 48 hours.

Power has been restored to around 85 per cent of customers and convoys of fuel are now getting through — although customers are limited to buying $50 worth of petrol or diesel each.

'What we need is for our locals to come back'

Christy Bryar, who lost her house at Gipsy Point in the fires, said it was enough to start functioning again.

"Just being able to do simple things like your washing, have lights on and make a cup of tea is getting people's lives back to normal a little bit," she said.

Christy Bryar, who lost her East Gippsland home in the fires, said Mallacoota was missing some of its usual "energy". ( ABC News: Ben Knight )

On Sunday, there was a community event aimed at rebuilding morale, with a barbecue, music concert and a cricket match between the Army and local children.

But for residents who are desperate to return home to Mallacoota after evacuating from the fires, there was no good news.

For them, there is simply no answer about when they might be allowed back.

Residents gathered at the local community hall for a concert put on by local musicians. ( ABC News: Ben Knight )

Ms Bryar said Mallacoota needed its people to come back home.

"We're keen to get them back and get some energy back in the town," she said.

"It seems like we can get people out, but we can't get them in, and I wonder if it's just keeping numbers small to keep it manageable.

"But yeah … we'd like them back."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 31 seconds 1 m 31 s Mallacoota's town centre was saved, but entire streets were destroyed by the bushfire.

Former CFA volunteer and Mallacoota school council president Cate Tregellas said the usually bustling Mallacoota felt like "a ghost town".

"We feel like we're on another planet to the rest of the world," she said.

Mallacoota resident Cate Tregellas and a rescued possum in the aftermath of the New Year's Eve bushfires. ( Supplied: Cate Tregellas )

"What we need is for our locals to come back. A whole heap of young families have evacuated by the ships and the planes in the last week because the air quality has been abysmal.

"But at the same time, I'm telling my friends don't hurry back because it's really bleak here.

"Everywhere you look here is black or brown. It's like some horrible instant autumn.

Blackened trees have been stripped of all foliage by the fire. ( Supplied: Gus Goswell )

"Even the trees that weren't burnt completely, all their leaves have gone brown and they're dropping off.

"We're lucky the whole town didn't go up … but there's streets I can't even drive down anymore. Because all the homes of my friends and workmates are gone. They're not even recognisable."

Whole streets of houses were reduced to twisted metal and rubble by the fire. ( Twitter: Luke McCrone )

Mallacoota resident Mick Bartholomew said the "fickle finger" of the fires was still evident across the town and was even more disturbing when he ventured to the bush.

"For me, it's a quiet time," he said.

"I've found in my interactions with people that people are very gentle with each other."