The extreme heat is taking its toll and has forced Walcha Council to douse the bitumen with water from the Yarrowitch River.

The preventative measure began on Thursday and continued into Friday as the mercury continued to hover around the 35 degree mark on Friday.

The affected section near Toms Creek may be closer to the coast than Tamworth but the lure of the Tamworth Country Music Festival has ensured a constant stream of traffic on the highway for days.

Speed limits were pegged back to 60km/h in a couple of sections.

Roads and Maritime Services is aware of the scarcity of water but believe this method has a dual purpose – it ensures the safety of motorists and allows the road to stay open.

Authorities aim to carry out more work in the coming weeks and the council will monitor the road.

The Oxley Highway wasn’t the only heat-hit road in country.

A road in Yass, in the Southern Tablelands, melted as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees.

The Yass Valley Council resorted to the same cooling measure that was used in Walcha.