Oodnadatta reaches record temperature: Hot enough to fry an egg

The small town in the state’s north has smashed its previous heat record with temperatures hot enough to cook breakfast. Watch the video.

The town of Oodnadatta in South Australia’s north has had their all-time February temperature record smashed with the mercury rising to 48.7C on Wednesday afternoon.

Joe Calvert, owner of The Pink Roadhouse, an icon of Oodnadatta, took the opportunity to prepare a sun-fried egg, cracking it into a pan on the pavement outside.

In the stunning video, the egg began frying as soon as it hit the pan.

Mr Calvert told The Advertiser that Wednesday was by far the hottest day he’d experienced since taking over the Roadhouse.

In case you wondered, 48.7C degrees in Oodnadatta was enough to fry an egg. Picture: The Pink Roadhouse

Frying an egg in Oodnadatta. Picture: The Pink Roadhouse

He said the Roadhouse would be closed over the middle of the day when the heat was at its peak, but that locals were still out and about.

“We’ll open a bit later, so people can come when the sun’s down and it cools off.”

On the Eyre Peninsula, hotels and farmstays have seen bookings cancelled, as holiday-makers flee the heat.

Kate Bloomfield, overseer of Mt Ive station, said that some of their clients had cancelled stays on the property due to concerns over the temperature.

Mt Ive station was only slightly cooler than Oodnadatta, reaching a top of 47C on Wednesday.

Soren, Tucker (5), Rhett (3) Clay (11), Maya , (1) and Denton (10), try to keep cool at Mt Ive Station, South Australia. Picture: Mt Ives Station

“The heat scared them off,” she told The Advertiser.

Ms Bloomfield urged customers not to be afraid of the heat.

“It doesn’t last long.”

“We’ve got these few days of really hot weather and then it drops again. Like you don’t need to be scared of the outback just because there’s a couple of hot days.”

Mt Ive is also a working sheep station, with staff working around the clock to ensure their flock stays hydrated and out of the sun.

On the Yorke Peninsula, locals have flocked to the beach to escape the heat.

“We couldn’t think of a better way to cool off,” Chris Adams told The Advertiser at Wallaroo, where temperatures reached 41C.

The heatwave is predicted to abate overnight, with temperatures decreasing by as much as 20 degrees on Thursday.

Originally published as Oodnadatta reaches record temperature: Hot enough to fry an egg