Daylight Saving Australia 2026: When Do Clocks Change?
Daylight saving starts in Australia on 4 October 2026. See which states change clocks, the new time differences, and when daylight saving ends
Rachel
9/29/20262 min read
When Does Daylight Saving Start in Australia in 2026?
Daylight saving in Australia starts on Sunday 4 October 2026. At 2:00 am local standard time, clocks move forward one hour to 3:00 am in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia do not change their clocks. NSW Government
That one-hour change can affect a flight, online event or call with someone in another state. Check the time for the date of your event, rather than relying on a time difference you remember from last month.
Do the clocks go forward or back in October?
They go forward. In places that observe daylight saving, 1:59 am on Sunday 4 October is followed by 3:00 am. Sydney changes from Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) to Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT). Adelaide changes from Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) to Australian Central Daylight Time (ACDT).
Before daylight saving starts, Sydney and Brisbane share the same time. From 4 October, Sydney is one hour ahead. Adelaide remains 30 minutes behind Sydney because both cities move their clocks forward. These comparisons follow the published Australian time zone offsets. Communities and Justice
When does daylight saving end?
The 2026–27 daylight saving period ends on Sunday 4 April 2027. Clocks move back one hour at 3:00 am daylight time to 2:00 am standard time in the places that observe it. NSW Government
How can I avoid a time zone mistake?
Use the Time Now Online World Clock to check the current local time in another city. For a flight or meeting on a future date, enter that date and both cities into the Time Converter. It accounts for daylight saving on the date you select. TimeNowOnline
When you send an invitation, include the city, date and time together. “Monday 9:00 am Sydney time” is clearer than “9:00 am AEST” during summer, when Sydney uses AEDT.
Quick answers
Does Queensland change its clocks?
No. Queensland stays on AEST throughout the year.
Is Sydney the same time as Brisbane in summer?
No. During daylight saving, Sydney is one hour ahead.
What is the safest way to plan an interstate or overseas call?
Choose the exact cities and event date in a time converter, then include both local times in your invitation.
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