🇦🇺 When Do the Clocks Change in Australia?
Oct 4
Sunday, October 4, 2026 - clocks go forward 1 hour (spring forward).
At 2:00 AM local time, clocks jump forward to 3:00 AM. You lose an hour of sleep.
Australia clock changes - 2026 and 2027
| Year | Clocks go forward | Clocks go back |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, October 4, 2026 At 2:00 AM local time, clocks jump forward to 3:00 AM. | Sunday, April 5, 2026 At 3:00 AM local time, clocks go back to 2:00 AM. |
| 2027 | Sunday, October 3, 2027 At 2:00 AM local time, clocks jump forward to 3:00 AM. | Sunday, April 4, 2027 At 3:00 AM local time, clocks go back to 2:00 AM. |
Times are local. 2027 dates follow the current rules.
Where the clocks change
New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia change their clocks. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not. South Australia is half an hour behind the eastern states, but it changes on the same dates.
Because only some states change, the time difference between Sydney and Brisbane is one hour during daylight saving time and zero the rest of the year.
The rule
Where Australia uses daylight saving time, it starts at 2:00 AM standard time on the first Sunday in October and ends at 3:00 AM daylight time on the first Sunday in April.
Common questions
When does daylight saving start in Australia in 2026?
Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 2:00 AM AEST, when clocks go forward to 3:00 AM AEDT, in NSW, Victoria, the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia.
When does daylight saving end in 2027?
Sunday, April 4, 2027 at 3:00 AM AEDT, when clocks go back to 2:00 AM AEST.
Does Queensland have daylight saving?
No. Queensland stays on AEST (UTC+10) all year, as do Western Australia and the Northern Territory on their own standard times.
Sources
Source links reviewed September 25, 2026. Times computed from the IANA Time Zone Database, release 2026c.