Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) to become upset or tense, emotional (positive or negative); to lose one’s temper.

1993		Aus. Word Map 🌐 arcing up crying [...] ‘Arcing up is common in Victoria - used as an expression of angry reaction’ [...] ‘This word was commonly used in Kalgoorlie to mean starting up an appliance and I've also heard it used to describe students getting louder and obnoxious!’.
2006		B. Matthews Intractable [ebook] The mudguard arced right up.
2018		R. O’Neill ‘Ocker’ in The Drover’s Wives (2019) 182: The dog arced up slowly [...] it was the snake!