Home / Daylight saving / Australia
Daylight saving time in Australia
In 2026, clocks in Australia go forward on Sunday, October 4, 2026 and back on Sunday, April 5, 2026. In 2027, they go forward on Sunday, October 3, 2027 and back on Sunday, April 4, 2027.
Clock change dates
| Year | Clocks go forward | Clocks go back |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, October 4 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM | Sunday, April 5 3:00 AM → 2:00 AM |
| 2027 | Sunday, October 3 2:00 AM → 3:00 AM | Sunday, April 4 3:00 AM → 2:00 AM |
Times are local wall-clock times in Sydney.
The rules
In New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT, Tasmania and South Australia, daylight saving starts on the first Sunday in October and ends on the first Sunday in April, at 2:00 AM standard time. Because Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere, its summer time runs across the new year.
Exceptions
Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not use daylight saving time, so Brisbane falls an hour behind Sydney from October to April.
Questions
When does daylight saving time end in 2026 in Australia?
Clocks go back one hour on Sunday, April 5, 2026, from 3:00 AM to 2:00 AM.
When does daylight saving time start in 2027 in Australia?
Clocks go forward one hour on Sunday, October 3, 2027, from 2:00 AM to 3:00 AM.
Do I lose or gain an hour of sleep?
When clocks go forward you lose an hour of sleep that night; when they go back you gain one. Phones and computers change automatically.