Thousands are watching a live stream of the 'corpse flower' bloom ...

A rare flower, known as the "corpse flower" due to its rotten odour, is making a long-awaited appearance in Geelong.

The plant, Amorphophallus titanum, only flowers once every 10 years, and is expected to bloom for just 48 hours at the Geelong Botanic Gardens.

The flower is gaining lots of attention, with the gardens set to remain open for 24 hours, allowing visitors the option to experience the bloom firsthand. 

For those unable to attend in person, a live stream has been set up online and is already drawing thousands of viewers.

The corpse flower is famous for its distinctive odour that is reminiscent of rotting flesh when it blooms.

The pungent smell it releases when it blooms attracts pollinators such as carrion beetles and flies.

It's hard to predict when the plant will flower as it flowers occasionally – as infrequently as once every ten years.

"As the Geelong Botanic Gardens opens its doors for this extraordinary event, we can appreciate the vital role that botanic gardens play in promoting rare and unique plant species," City of Greater Geelong chief executive Ali Wastie said.

"The endangered Titan Arum is the largest species of carrion flower and its preservation is important as the wild population is in decline.

"Since the bloom window is so short, don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience and come see it for yourself at the Geelong Botanic Gardens."

There are multiple time-lapse cameras around the plant and a livestream set-up.