THE southwest shivered through one of the coldest starts to winter in more than a decade.

Roma residents awoke to news that the thermometer had dipped below 0 degrees last night.

According to the official BOM site, Roma was at frosty -1.8 at 6.30am, Dalby -1.1, Charleville had an apparent temperature of -0.3 while Warwick was still -2 at 6.30am.

Residents both young and old were feeling the fresh winter start.

Tom Burey and Rachael Bond, prep students at St John's Catholic School, were none too impressed by the chilly awakening.

"I had to dress in three layers when I woke up this morning,” Tom said.

"And I stayed in my bed for a long, long time - I didn't want to get up because my bed was so warm!

"It was so cold this morning my parents lit the fire in the house,” Rachael said.

When asked if they enjoyed the winter months, both children answered with a resounding no.

"I miss being able to do summer things, like jumping in pools,” Tom said.

On the other end of the scale, Australia's oldest man and Pinaroo resident Dexter Kruger, said the start to this winter was the coldest he could remember.

"I knew it was chilly when I got up this morning,” said Mr Kruger, from his seat in the sun.

"It was the first night I had to keep the heater on all night.

"I have lived through many winters, and this is definitely one of the coldest starts to June. Usually it doesn't get this cold until mid-way through the month.”

But not to fear - the outlook for the rest of winter is not as chilly, with conditions expected to be warmer than average this year.