The only mercury that usually rises in Cunnamulla is in the summer heat, until teenagers took vials of the dangerous liquid metal to school and shut down large parts of the outback town.
Believing they had found something special at the local tip, the teenagers picked up the small bottles and later took the toxic find to class for show-and-tell.
"Normally, the mercury only rises here in summertime," Cunnamulla Hotel publican Doug Faircloth told AAP.
Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal and exposure through skin contact, inhaling fumes or ingestion can cause damage to the brain, kidneys and nervous system.
Locals were more bemused than panicked, even as authorities moved to lock down parts of the town, Mr Faircloth said.
