Sure to send the people who follow the climate change agenda on global warming into a frenzy, Mitchell reached the Bogan River somewhere between the present day towns of Parkes and Peak Hill on December 22, 1845, and followed it down in searing temperatures he wrote reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s 42.7 Celsius.

Stopped two days later because 22 of his bullocks had got away, Mitchell’s thermometer hit 117 degrees (47.2C) and when exposed to the wind, showed 129 (53.8C). He wrote: “I feared it would break as it only reached to 132 degrees.”

Mitchell wrote two bullock drivers were scarcely able to walk, one very sick and six others “frantic” because of the heat and thirst.

He reluctantly turned around and headed back to ponds at Bellaringa on Gunningbar Creek. 

That was 172 years ago and there was no pollution, or mining or power stations.

IT’S still eight weeks until Easter, the oldest of Christian festivals, but the stores are already gearing up with shelves bulging under the weight of Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies.

And hot cross buns have been on the market for several weeks when they’re supposed to be eaten on Good Friday.

The Easter Bunny became common in the 19th century because rabbits usually give birth to a big litter of babies so they became a symbol of new life.

Legend has it that the Easter bunny lays, decorates and hides eggs because they are a symbol of new life.

The bunny doesn't do all the work alone though. In Switzerland, Easter eggs are delivered by a cuckoo and by a fox in parts of Germany.

SOME petrol stations in Orange are still in urgent need of lollipop traffic controllers because of the driveway chaos, especially on Saturday mornings.

Drivers park and wait over the footpaths and into the street traffic lanes but worse, coming in from two directions, often park nose to nose while filling.

Another car pulling in behind one of them blocks everything and drivers have to manoeuvre and reverse to try to get out or just sit and wait.

Others crawl around the driveway in and out of cars so their filler cap is on the same side as the hose, which will reach the opposite side anyway, and they cause more jams.

You would think drivers could at least all go in the same direction.

But then that probably takes a bit of common sense.

WHAT do women carry in their handbags? A survey by a department store found essential items included a leather purse, a small umbrella, scarf, an iPad mini and a phone.

The typical woman will also pack sunglasses, perfume, moisturiser, lipstick and a hair brush.

It’s a wonder they can cart it all around.