The turmoil erupted around 2:30 PM yesterday when two vehicles lost control while weaving through traffic on the Monash Freeway in Narre Warren, a suburb in Melbourne’s southeast.

Several masked individuals emerged from the cars, some wielding machetes and metal poles, and began a chaotic brawl right in the middle of the freeway.

Footage captured on a phone shows some of these men approaching a car occupied by a family.

Alarmed drivers attempted to flee the scene, some accelerating away, while others reversed toward the nearest exit.

The freeway’s three lanes were shut down as the canine unit was deployed to investigate the area.

Ultimately, only one individual was detained for questioning but was released without any charges.

There were no injuries reported during the incident.

“The vast majority of people who call Victoria home have an experience of safety, cohesion and connectedness,” she said.

“There’s always more work to do, however.”