It was meant to be an ordinary morning walk. Two women — a 39-year-old from Glen Iris and a 67-year-old from Toorak — were making their way along the banks of Gardiners Creek in Kooyong when they noticed a man concealed in the bushes beside the path. What unfolded in the next few minutes, according to police and the women themselves, was an alleged assault that was ultimately driven off not by any human intervention, but by eleven dogs.

The man allegedly lunged at the older of the two women first, grabbing her by the neck and upper shoulders. He then turned his attention to the younger woman, issuing threats and demanding she accompany him into a nearby tunnel beneath the Monash Freeway.

"He started walking over to me, talking and threatening me to get me into the tunnel. He wanted to have sex with me." — One of the women, speaking to local media

The women were on a professional dog walk at the time, accompanied by eleven dogs in their care. When the man made his move, the dogs — apparently sensing the threat — turned on him collectively. The pack chased the man into the tunnel, and in the chaos, one of the women managed to tear away a piece of his clothing. The man fled and has not yet been located.

"I was thinking of all the different scenarios that could happen, but I was more trying to jump into action, rather than focus on how scared I was," one of the women said.

The eleven dogs — already being called the Kooyong Heroes by locals and on social media — have been widely praised. The incident, which occurred in broad daylight in one of Melbourne's most established residential suburbs, has shaken the local community and prompted a significant police response.

"It's just really unnerving to know that it happened in broad daylight and it happened at all, full stop, really." — Local resident, speaking near the scene

Victoria Police have released a facial composite image of a man they wish to speak with in connection with the incident. He is described as being of African appearance, wearing black tracksuit pants, white socks, slides, and a black and grey hooded top. He was also wearing a black face covering and carrying a large bright blue backpack.

Detectives are appealing to anyone who was in the Gardiners Creek reserve near Glenferrie Road on the morning of the incident, or who has any information about the man depicted in the composite image, to come forward.

Despite the ordeal, both women have said they intend to return to the park. "I'm not going to let it stop me from coming to the park that I enjoy so much, and the dogs enjoy," one said. "I'm just going to have to be a little bit more cautious. I mean, I always have been anyway, as a female."

The Kooyong Heroes, for their part, have no comment.