Tattoos lifeguards and burkinis on beach temperatures soar

Sydney was given a taste of the summer to come as the city sweltered through a scorching Thursday (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Bondi soon filled up with beachgoers desperate to escape the heat – the sand packed with swimmers (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Temperatures soared past the 40 degree mark in the early afternoon, as December’s longest stretch of hot days since the Olympics peaked before the weekend (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

A host of interesting characters were on display as the sun shone, including women with large full-body tattoos, and others in more conservative attire (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Those at the beach for leisure were not the only ones having fun, and lifeguards were spotted having a chat while keeping one eye on the surf (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Meanwhile in Penrith, in Sydney’s west, the mercury rose to 40 degrees before lunchtime, and hit a maximum of 43 soon afterwards (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Duty forecaster Rob Taggart said very hot air was sitting over inland New South Wales yesterday, the Bureau of Meteorology reported (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Inland temperatures reached 43 degrees, and that air was soon sent over western Sydney (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

‘Places near the coastal Sydney areas, they’ll be spared because sea breezes will come in and prevent that really hot air from coming in to the eastern suburbs,’ said a meteorologist (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

‘The northern inland parts of the state will remain very hot over the coming seven days with temperatures in the high 30s or even the 40s … most of the time,’ said a meterologist (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

‘The north-west and the central-west [will be] particularly affected with temperatures increasing up into the mid-40s early next week and Tuesday in particular looks to be the hottest for western districts’ (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

NSW Health director of environmental health Dr Ben Scalley urged people to check on elderly relatives, drink lots of fluids and stay indoors during the hottest hours (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Heatwaves are the most deadly natural hazard in Australia, and have caused more deaths than tropical cyclones, bushfires or floods (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Severe heatwaves are likely to cause discomfort and stress in vulnerable people such as the elderly and those with medical conditions (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

Sydney has not had 10 days in a row over 26 degrees since the year 2000, and night temperatures will hover around 20 degrees throughout the week (pictured are beachgoers at Bondi)

As Sydney was hit with sweltering weather locals and tourists flocked to Bondi Beach for relief from the December heatwave

Young people were not the only ones taking advantage of the record-breaking temperatures across Sydney on Thursday

With the mercury hitting 43 degrees in western Sydney, the surf at Bondi allowed many to cool off in the refreshing ocean

Say Bondi! Sydney’s most famous beach was packed on Thursday as people fled the heatwave in search of the sea breeze

A cool breeze from the ocean kept Sydney’s coastal suburbs relatively comfortable on Thursday, while the west sweated

Is that a Speedo tuxedo? These two beachgoers wore the latest male swimwear on the beach, strutting their stuff on the sand

That’s better! The only way to escape the heatwave for many was to run straight into the surf for relief from the scorching sun

The waves may not have been massive, but Bondi was close to perfect as temperatures rose to 43 in the city’s western suburbs

This couple made the most of the hottest day of the summer so far, enjoying themselves in the sun and paddling in the water

Surf’s up! This beachgoer had her hands full holding four different boards at Bondi Beach on a very hot Thursday afternoon

Some carried surfboards, but others stuck with their smartphones for selfie opportunities or maybe just to check social media

People flocked to the beach from all over Sydney to get away from 40 plus degree heat stifling the city’s western suburbs

Life’s a beach! Swimming, surfing, sunbathing and soccer, there was plenty to do at Bondi Beach during today’s heatwave

Young and old came to Bondi to swim, relax and work on their summer tans on the beach while the rest of the city suffered

With the summer sun belting down many beachgoers covered up with hats and sunscreen to stop themselves burning up

This surfer chose to wear two pieces of patriotic clothing – board shorts and a blue singlet both showing the Southern Cross

Others preferred not to get a tan – carrying sun umbrellas to avoid the midday UV rays and wearing long sleeves as well

What better way to spend Thursday than lying on the world’s best beach and working on a tan?

These three sat on their boards and checked the surf before diving in and braving the waves on a scorcher of a Sydney day

It doesn’t look that warm! The best way to cool down on a hot day is to jump straight in the surf – often 10 degrees cooler

Rows of sunbathers lined the beach, while still more people dipped their toes in the water or played sport on the hot sand

The beach is good for more than swimming and sunbathing, as these soccer players showed as they kicked the ball around