25 June 2026
When Does Daylight Saving Start in 2026? (All States)
Daylight saving 2026 starts at 2am Sunday 4 October in NSW, VIC, SA, Tasmania and the ACT — clocks go forward an hour. Which states observe it and when it ends.
Daylight saving begins at 2am on Sunday 4 October 2026, when clocks go forward one hour in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT. It's the start of the 2026–27 daylight saving period — longer evenings, and one hour less sleep that Sunday.
When do the clocks change in 2026?
In the states that observe it, clocks move forward from 2am to 3am on Sunday 4 October 2026. Daylight saving always starts on the first Sunday in October and ends on the first Sunday in April — so the 2026–27 period runs until Sunday 4 April 2027, when clocks go back an hour.
An easy way to remember the direction: "spring forward, fall back." In spring (October) you lose an hour; in autumn (April) you gain it.
Which states have daylight saving?
| Observes daylight saving | Does not |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Queensland |
| Victoria | Western Australia |
| South Australia | Northern Territory |
| Tasmania | — |
| ACT | — |
Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not change their clocks, so for half the year the time difference shifts. From 4 October 2026 the eastern daylight-saving states move further ahead of them — for example, Sydney sits an hour ahead of Brisbane, an hour and a half ahead of Darwin, and three hours ahead of Perth.
It coincides with the October long weekend
The clock change lands in the middle of the October long weekend: Monday 5 October 2026 is a public holiday in NSW, the ACT, SA and Queensland. So in NSW, the ACT and SA you get a long weekend and lose an hour on the Sunday night. Queensland keeps the holiday but not the time change.
What to check when the clocks change
- Most phones, computers and smart devices update automatically — but manual clocks, ovens and cars don't.
- If you're scheduling calls or travel across the Queensland or WA borders, double-check the new time difference.
- Body clocks take a few days to adjust; the spring change (losing an hour) is the harder one for sleep.
Frequently asked questions
When does daylight saving start in 2026?
At 2am on Sunday 4 October 2026, clocks go forward one hour in NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT.
Which states have daylight saving in Australia?
New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT observe daylight saving. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not.
Do the clocks go forward or back in October?
Forward. In October (spring) the clocks go forward one hour — you lose an hour. They go back an hour in April. Remember it as "spring forward, fall back."
When does daylight saving end in 2027?
Daylight saving for the 2026–27 season ends at 3am on Sunday 4 April 2027, when clocks go back to 2am — the first Sunday in April.