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Queensland heatwave brings record temperatures and odd sea creatures

Toby Crockford

It was a day of broken records in Queensland on Sunday, with scorching temperatures, packed Queensland beaches and bushfires.

Thargomindah recorded the hottest February day on record in Queensland, reaching a top of 47.2 degrees at 2.15pm.

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Heat records tumble across Queensland

Temperatures reach 47 degrees in parts of Queensland on Sunday as people flock to beaches and shopping centres to escape the heat. Nine News

Meanwhile St George, Dalby, Miles, Warwick, Oakey, Kingaroy, Gatton, Roma, Applethorpe, and Beaudesert also experienced their hottest February days ever.

Toowoomba reached the 40-degree mark by 2pm breaking the record for its hottest day ever recorded, while Brisbane hit a top of just under 38 degrees after expecting a maximum of 39.

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In addition to straining the energy grid and forcing the cancellation of events across the state, the extreme heat also saw a record number of rescues at beaches and brought an influx of one unusual sea creature.

A Surf Life Saving Queensland spokeswoman said margined sea lizards invaded Coolangatta Beach on Saturday, with swimmers complaining about stings which, while being quite painful, were generally harmless.

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The beach reopened on Sunday but Palm Beach on the Gold Coast remained closed because of dangerous surf, despite conditions easing overnight.

A record breaking 63 rescues were performed across Queensland beaches on Sunday, the most swimmers rescued in a single day this season.

Eimeo and Sarina beaches in north Queensland were also off limits after dangerous jellyfish invaded.

Police praised the actions of passers-by at the underground car park of a shopping centre on Merthyr Road in New Farm on Sunday.

About 1.30pm officers responded to a call from a man and his wife, after they saw a four-year-old boy alone in a car.

Police rescued the child, who was taken to hospital for observation. A 47-year-old man was charged with leaving a child under 12 unattended.

The heat also caused chaos in New South Wales, with more than 70 bush and grass fires burning across the state.

NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons described conditions as "worse than the Black Saturday forecast". 

In Queensland, guests at Spring Creek Mountain Cafe and Cottages in southern Queensland fled over the weekend, after a bushfire clouded the area in heavy smoke.

Firefighters worked to extinguish grassfires at Moolboolaman near Bundaberg and Kenilworth at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday afternoon, with residents warned of smoke in the area.

Crews were also monitoring and dampening down hotspots at two grassfires at Morganville and Glenleigh, inland from Hervey Bay.

The RSPCA was left disappointed on Saturday after a dog "boiled" to death after being left tied up in the blazing heat.

The Queensland Ambulance Service responded to a total of 51 heat-related incidents on Sunday, up from the 36 on Saturday.

Beaudesert and Gatton also broke their records for the warmest February days in almost 50 years on Saturday.

Brisbane is expecting a brief reprieve next week, with temperatures to dip to 36 degrees on Monday and 29 on Tuesday. Possible showers are also forecast throughout the week. 

Stay informed. Like the Brisbane Times Facebook page.

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