Real Climate Records

The torrid regions of Western Queensland have long been saddled, with the, unenviable reputation of being amongst the hottest sections in Australia, but seldom if ever in their history have they been visited by a heat wave such as that which was experienced almost generally

throughout Victoria at the beginning of last and at the close of the previous week.

In some of the inland places in Victoria the registration were extremely high and consistent. The daily temperatures in a few of the towns, where the records were unusually high, are appended:-

January …      14  15   16   17   18   19  20:

Swam Hill …  110 117 119 117 121 118 113

Horsham …   110 116 117 120 120 117 …

Boort…           103 113 112 115 116 113 109

Charlton…     107 112 114 114 116 112 112

Bendigo …     102 108 113 113 109 109 109

Rutherglen…105 108 109 112 110 111 109

Mildura …     105 109 109 109 111 115 106

The heat was accompanied by scorching northerly winds, and at Melbourne the temperature ranged from 106 to 110 degrees for several days.

The demand for iced drinks, particularly lemon squash, and ice creams was extraordinary.

One Melbourne firm put out 1800 quarts of ice cream during the week, and is going to prepare for future experience by installing a plant capable of making 2700 quarts of ice cream daily. Ice was carried on the railway train for the use of the passengers. So hot was the weather that

the delivery of mails was discontinued.

In blacksmith’s shops the the thermometer registered from 125 to 150 degrees, and after one young man collapsed work was abandoned. One firm placed call its employees upon fall pay, and gave them a holiday until the weather got cooler.

The casualty wards of the hospitals were crowded with patients suffering from the heat. Overworked doctors rushed from patient to patient in their endeavors to relieve suffering. In many cases the sufferers were in a frenzy and attacked the doctors and those who were endeavoring to restrain them. Gradually the patients were attended to, but as soon as a casualty room was cleared it was filled with fresh cases. Up to Tuesday night there were over 100 which had occurred from causes directly due to the intense heat, and not including those of which

probably would have recovered in normal weather were, added to the list the death roll would runs into hundreds. There were more applications for burials than could be attended to.

It will certainly be remarkable if the heat wave does not popularise sleeping out of doors. In the suburbs houses were deserted, and beds were made on lawns, gardens, and footpaths and

verandahs. Whole families sought relief by camping out in the public parks. The usual night dwellers in the Domain found, much to their surprise, that their numbers had swollen considerably.

A walk through the parks in the early hours of the morning revealed strange sights. The majority of the people slept in their loosened clothes ; some arrived in their pyjamas, while the women generally favored a loose dressing gown. The beach was also much in favor. Late at night men and women sat at the water’s edge in hired deck chairs, cooling their heels in the surf, and drinking in whatever breeze came in on the waves. Others swam then stretched themselves on the sand then swam again; repeating the process until daybreak drove them back

to the houses.

Bush fires raged in many places, and farmers suffered heavily. In one district from 200,000 to 300,000 acres were burnt, and one fire had a front of 45 miles.

Settlers were compelled to abandon their homes and seek safety in the river, abandoning their. stock to the fire. Many small flocks of sheep were destroyed, and 4000 sheep were burnt on one station. alone.

Schools have been closed owing to the children suffering from the intense heat, and on farms harvesting is abandoned during the daytime and resumed by moonlight. Fortunately a cool