Five people hospitalised after heatwave hits Australia

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has forecast temperatures in the early 40s for inland towns. Photo / 123RF

In a dramatic start to summer in Australia, five people have been hospitalised with heat-related complaints as the mercury climbs in Queensland.

Friday's extreme temperatures in the sunshine state, which spilt over into northern NSW, saw 12 heat-related ambulance call-outs, and relief is not expected to come soon.

While inland towns in Queensland's south have been the worst hit, several Brisbane residents were treated for heat-related issues on Friday and overnight, a spokesman for the state's Ambulance Service told Channel 9 this morning.

"We'll see how it goes today, it's looking a bit cloudy at the moment so hopefully there's some reprieve," he said.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has forecast temperatures in the early 40s for inland towns including Roma, Longreach and Birdsville - which reached a top of 47C on Friday - into the next few days.

The "rare and exceptionally intense" heatwave - caused by a high sitting out in the Tasman Sea trapping the warm hot air - would also hit Central Australia, the Bureau said yesterday,

Western Sydney residents suffered a hot night after highs of 36C in Liverpool and 38C in Penrith.

Residents have been advised to drink plenty of water and stay out of the heat, and to look out for symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion, such as headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, dizziness, and a rapid heart rate.

"Heat related syndromes are really quite insidious, unless you're watching what you're doing and watching others, all of a sudden you're starting to feel very unwell and if you don't recognise [the symptoms] you can get sick very quickly," Tony Tucker of Queensland Ambulance told Fairfax Media.