Helter-swelter to escape the big heat

As a heatwave struck NSW and surrounding regions on its central and southern borders, many people opted to cool down at beaches and nearby watering holes.

Kids cool off at Dolan's Beach on the Murrumbidgee river at Darlington Point, NSW on Sunday afternoon. Picture: Ginette Guidolin

A severe heatwave struck five states at the weekend, with some regions experiencing temperatures 14C above the average.

Port Augusta, Port Pirie and Renmark in South Australia reached a scorching 45C.

As sweltering temperatures were recorded across regional and southern NSW on Sunday, Griffith resident Marcel Guidolin decided it was time to get out of the house when the thermometer hit 42C. He and his wife, Davina, piled their three kids, Damon, 4, Alyssa, 9, and Stefan, 12, into the ute and headed for Dolans Beach, a watering hole on the Murrumbidgee River, about 30km away, for a barbecue and a swim.

“In that reserve, there’s a few beaches, so it’s a great to place to cool down. It’s a really good spot to unwind and there’s a good feel about watching the water go by,” Mr Guidolin said. “In the cooler months, we’ll go camping and fishing there, too. The best things in life are free.”

In Sydney, beaches were awash with umbrellas as beachgoers enjoyed 20C water and an all round temperature of about 28C, which lifeguards judged was “perfect for an Australia Day weekend”. Beneath a bright umbrella on one end of Manly beach was surf lifesaver Sarah Mauger, 22, from nearby Narrabeen. “It’s perfect for an Australia Day weekend,” she said. “We’ve been pretty lucky, ­people are actually listening to the announcements.”

 

On the southern end of the beach, Manly Beach Rentals was doing good business. Also enjoying the weather on the harbour side of the peninsula at Manly Wharf was a group of boys, all 15, from Collaroy Plateau Public School and Mater Maria Catholic College.

Josh Bowles, Lachlan Taylor, Tom Procter and Baxter Stewart have spent almost every day of their school holidays, which end all too soon, at Manly Wharf.

NSW is experiencing a #Heatwave, and there is a Fire Weather Warning for the Eastern Riverina, Southern Riverina and Northern Riverina fire areas. Stay cool, and stay on top of all the latest warnings here: https://t.co/yf0DJQVZfr@NSWSES pic.twitter.com/AEPleA7Rc6

— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 24, 2021

Schoolmates Josh Bowles, Lachlan Taylor, Tom Procter and Baxter Stuart, all 15, enjoy the warm weather at Manly wharf in Sydney on Sunday. Picture: Nikki Short

“We wish the holidays were longer,” said Tom, noting they’d be back to class on Thursday.

While a cool change is on the cards for South Australia and western Victoria about midday on Monday, Canberra and Sydney will endure warm weather to at least Tuesday. Inland NSW will remain hot, with severe fire danger warnings forecast in the Southern Riverina and very high fire danger forecast in the Eastern Riverina and Northern Riverina.

In Victoria, a total fire ban will come into effect from midnight Sunday in the Mallee, Wimmera, North Country, North Central, North East and East Gippsland fire districts. There are concerns about larger-that-usual numbers of holiday-makers in bush environments in the lead- up to Australia Day.

Additional reporting: Rebecca Urban