‘Hottest Day this Summer at Albury,’ Border Morning Mail, 20 November 1944, 2.
Transcript: At 2 o’clock this morning the temperature was 97 degrees. On Saturday the maximum temperature at Albury was 97.2 degrees. A crowd of more than 1000 was at Morwell Pork during the afternoon. At night when there was no relief from the heat people went to the river in their hundreds. The municipal baths had its record crowd for the season. At times it was impossible to move in the water. The day was a busy one for icecream and cold drink vendors. Some of them, not prepared for abnormal business, sold out of supplies early in the afternoon. Dogs, fowls and cats felt the heat, and some casualties were reported in fowl yards. At Walla poultry farmers have sustained losses over several weeks.
Story:
While drought is often depicted as a rural phenomenon, this article highlights the experience of urban dwellers. Heat waves frequently accompany drought and this report during the WW11 Drought (1937-45) shows Albury residents resorting to river swimming, municipal baths, icecream and cold drinks to help them cope with a period of extreme heat.