Caravans and campervans nestle less that a metre away from each other on the packed car park next to Merimbula's Top Lake.

As the afternoon progressed evacuees settled in reading, enjoying a cup of tea, looking after their pets and contemplating what they had left behind and what they might return to.

Vickie and David Lee have not only had each other, two dogs and two birds to worry about; the couple manage Acacia Ponds, an over 55s village in Millingandi.

"I have also dreaded this day," Vickie said.

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"We have 140 people at Acacia Ponds and told them that if they weren't well or had families locally they should evacuate. The majority have gone and there were about a dozen left this morning," Vickie said.

The couple brought their campervan to the car park three days ago.

She said it would be their second night at the car park and knowing that most of the residents of Acacia Ponds had evacuated was a source of relief.

"We have told the police and RFS what we're doing," Vickie said.

"If we didn't have Acacia Ponds we would have gone to Wollongong where we have family but we've done everything we could now," she said.

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Husband David said that if nothing else it would be a practical exercise in getting out of the village.

"We've got a bed in the van and surfboards on the top. I couldn't leave those behind," David said with a laugh.

The couple has already decided that if the worst comes they will simply get into the lake and Vickie has been talking to any singles she had seen at the makeshift camp ground to show them where the best entry to the water was.

"But we really need to look at this situation and the trouble we have with clearing. We need to talk with the Indigenous people and get their advice," Vickie said.

Further along the row of campers Kate and Jim - who didn't want to give their surnames - were sitting outside their van after evacuating from Bald Hills.

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"I don't think any house is worth risking your life for," Kate said.

They have had to leave their chooks and sheep behind and Jim said he would be going back on Sunday to feed them.

"We came down this morning but had made up our mind a couple of days ago," Kate said.

"If we lose our home we can live in the camper, so we're luckier than some.

"I had my granddaughter here from Tasmania and she had to make a run for it. They charged her an extra $600 to change her ticket on the Spirit of Tasmania.

"I will have something to say about that to them when this is all over . It was a disgrace," Kate said.

The couple remember the fires of 1952 which devastated the coast.

"It was a dangerous and very bad fire and went through Eden but I think this might be worse and it's been going for months," Kate said.

Jim said he had never seen it this bad or this dry and he had lived in the area all his life.

Sitting out on their camper chairs Lyn Benson and Mal Wood were enjoying a chat having both evacuated from Wolumla the day before.

Mal said that even though she had no insurance the decision was an easy one.

"I'm on 24 acres and there's one road in and one way out. We're just going to sit it out and maybe go for a swim," Mal said.

Lyn is a registered RFS member and has her uniform in the car. They said there were a lot of familiar faces on the camp site but were concerned that some people with homes locally had just chosen to put their campervan or caravan at the car park.

"There's more empty that with people in and they're taking the space of someone who actually needs to evacuate," the two said.

Further along the way Merlene Stuart was worried about her son's cat that had escaped and hidden under her campervan.

She arrived from Lochiel the day before and has left her husband cutting the last of the bushes.

"I came here with three dogs. I've got a fridge, a shower and a toilet. We're in a good position. The worst thing is just not knowing what's happening," Merlene said.