'Plenty more' icy days on the way for Australia

Temperatures will keep tumbling after an icy start to winter, as dangerous surf batters Australia's east coast.

Jackson Browne from the Bureau of Meteorology said both the south-east and south-west were copping more freezing weather from ongoing polar blasts.

Winds of up to 150km/hr were recorded in the south-east, and gusts of up to 120km/hr in Perth.

LIVE UPDATES: The 'perfect storm' threatening to cripple the construction industry

Browne told Today the polar blast was also driving the dangerous surf on the NSW coast.

"We saw surf up to eight to nine metres in Tasmania, and now that's moved towards the NSW coast," he said.

"Fortunately, we will see the cancellation of that hazardous surf, that damaging surf rather, later today."

Browne warned the weather wasn't likely to settle down anytime soon.

"I hate to say it, but we're only 13 days into winter," he said.

READ MORE: Barty, Warne and pandemic luminaries recognised with Aussie honours

"And, yeah, July, generally is the coldest month of the year. So there's plenty more opportunity for these cold blasts to affect us."

People are being warned to stay out of the water along the New South Wales coast this public holiday, with huge gale force winds and gigantic waves battering the beaches.

Waves crashed high enough to reach a pedestrian walkway and the RSL at Bondi Beach in Sydney overnight.

Bins were washed away and cars drenched, leaving a big clean-up this morning.

READ MORE: Neighbour jumps from window as Sydney restaurant goes up in flames

The weather is being caused by a slow-moving low-pressure system forming off New Zealand.

The effects are being felt along the east coast, chiefly focused along NSW.

Hazardous surf warnings are in place stretching right from Byron Bay in the state's north, down to Eden.

Waves of up to five metres high were recorded yesterday, and a rock fisherman had to be rescued when he was swept into the ocean near Batemans Bay.