It seems that winter started early and we didn't get a couple of weeks of 'indian summer' either. The snow keeps falling, fabulous for our ski resorts after some very poor seasons. Each day I listen in amazement to the previous nights temperatures up in the mountains. Last night it was -12 C  at Charlott's Pass! Brrrrrrr, who said it never gets cold in Australia.....
By now most of us are craving a bit of natural warmth, alas the ground is crunchy every morning.