Fifteen Australians living at Antarctica's Davis station stripped off on a chilly minus 33.5 degree day to plunge through a hole in the sea ice for a dip in minus 1.8 degree water.

The traditional midwinter swim, held Wednesday, complemented a sea ice golf competition at Mawson research station and the construction of an ice castle at Casey.

Davis Station leader Kirsten le Mar, enduring her first Antarctic winter, said the winter solstice was a cause for celebration on the icy continent.

"After three weeks of darkness, today marks the beginning of longer days in Antarctica, although it will still be 19 days before the sun starts to peek above the horizon here at Davis," she said.

Canberrans who struggled to get out of bed on Wednesday need not feel ashamed - the sun took its time too.

Canberra marked the winter solstice with less than 10 hours of sunlight, with the sun rising at a late 7.12am and setting just before 5pm.

The temperature reached a top of 14 degrees on Wednesday after a 1 degree start to the day.

But the pain wasn't for nothing: the days will get longer from now on as Australia marches towards warmer weather.

As for the rest of the week, Thursday will be a little cooler at minus 1 degree in the morning and a top of 13 degrees.

Friday will start at minus 3 degrees and climb to 13 degrees, with similar temperatures on Saturday, while Sunday will start at a relatively balmy 0 degrees and a top of 12 degrees.