Hi troops. I've just returned from SA where it was 44degC where my daughter lives, about 7kms west of Edithburgh. Damn it was hot! It was 10 deg cooler in town. Fortunately her house is a large, stone farmhouse with 15ft ceilings, and the inside is a pleasant temperature. That intense, dry heat just about did me in. I was glad to get off the plane in Cairns to 32degC, SE winds, and mild humidity. A great cool change. The house I stayed in at Gawler last night had hot concrete floors and I could feel the warmth through the carpet. Yuk! The ceiling fan did not help in my attempts to get some sleep. No aircon available in the room. There were some very turbulent sky spaces on the way north to contend with as well. There have been some storms and downpours here in Cairns over the last 2 nights which helped to cool the air. So for all you poor, suffering southerners experiencing the intense dry heat, you have my sympathy and best wishes. Keep your cool and pray for no bushfires.

Welcome back Chris, glad you managed the heat in SA, I used to go fishing down at Edithburgh, Troubridge Point from memory and I remember it used to get damned hot there even back in the late 60's.  Catch a fish, put it on the rocks and in 10 minutes he was ready to eat.

Yep, the tourist season is in full swing over there. The number of boats on the horizon is duplicated by the number of vehicles with empty boat trailers parked adjacent to the boat ramp. I can't imagine how hard it is to catch a feed, but the locals' policy is to stay home until the tourists have gone. Fishing is really the big attraction over there. And they seem to be catching plenty. The local dirt roads also reflect the volume of traffic doing all it can to reduce the roads to corrugated, stoney, dust tracks. It's so dry over there. I'm hoping they don't get bushfires from lightening strikes like they had a few weeks ago - about 26 fires at the same time. Some burnt extremely close to houses and backyards. Hang in there SA, there's a change on the way, and some locals say there's even rain in it.

If there is some rain in that change and it gets up Dave0's way he will be one happy little vegemite.

not yet mate, I got probably three days reaping yet, dont want rain now for a while! even though I'd love to see it! Jock's lost enough

OK Dave, no rain until that grain is in the bunker. If it's not the rain holding up the harvest it's the catastrophic bushfire potential in the heat. They can't win. I hope it works out, and I also hope the rains do come. Unfortunately it's out of our hands. My daughter's landlord has installed a new, small poly-rain water tank, and there's a very large poly tank standing by for installation. First he has to dismantle and remove the old steel leaker.

Welcome back Chris, it's still bloody hot here today. Tommorrow is supposed to be a pleasant 26.

Not on your life Gary and Kerry. I felt the sun piercing my skin and the hot air was trying to choke me. It was stifling, and with no breeze it was all a bit much. The cooler temp, the breeze and the low humidity are just great here at the moment, after the storms and heavy rainfall recently.

I felt for the N.S.W. farmers as I watched the floods swamp the grain bags and ruin it for them, all that work for nothing it's been mainly the heat that has held us up, I get a call from the mob in the smoke and I got to pack it in, I'll go backout tonght and start again and yeah it makes me smile when folks up in cairns say it's worse up here with the heat, this stuff just takes your breath away and sizzles you, I went out to the paddock to change a belt this afternoon and had a quick look at the external temp guage in the header, 49.3,............... now THAT'S warm!! and it felt like it too! jumped in the seat and instantly got second degree burns on my freckle!

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're right Dave. Everything you touch in that heat just burns you. Car doors, boot lids, roads, sand and concrete paths. The air is just too hot to breath. Jeez it was hot! That's what my daughter said when she came to Broome a few Christmasses ago. Yesterday it was my turn to whinge. We stayed with friends in Gawler overnight, and I think it must have been 35 without a breeze, and the ceiling fan just didn't do it for me. No aircon in the room. Sleeping in sweat is not my fave thing. All the best to everyone in contrary climates at the moment, and I hope you all make it through to the other side in good spirits with no tragedies.

Welcome back Chris, good to see you up and at 'em! The weather conditions have been really freaky everywhere lately, don't know what is going on. Munglinup and Hopetoun in WA had 53 degrees, birds dropping out of trees dead, been much better in Perth though, just a couple of hot days but mostly nice crisp days and good to be alive. I suppose you will be getting ready to "saddle up" soon and head elsewhere when you feel up to it and get the go ahead. Take care, forum has been dull without you adding to the atmosphere. Vic