Twice a year, Australians in some states deal with the same routine changing their clocks. Some love the longer daylight in the evening, others grumble about losing an hour of sleep, and a few forget entirely and show up late (or early) to everything.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering when daylight saving starts, why some states follow it and others don’t, or how it even works, you’re not alone. Every year, clocks move forward and back, and every year, someone forgets. Whether you love the extra daylight or hate losing an hour of sleep, knowing when the change happens can save you from showing up early, late, or just plain confused. Let’s break it down.
When Does Daylight Saving Time Start in Australia?
It’s the same every year:
- Starts on the first Sunday in October
- Ends on the first Sunday in April
That means in 2025, clocks go back one hour at 3:00 AM on April 6.
It happens like clockwork (literally). But not every state follows daylight saving.
Who Uses Daylight Saving and Who Doesn’t?
Not all states and territories in Australia get on board with DST. Here’s how it breaks down:
Follows Daylight Saving:
- New South Wales (Sydney)
- Victoria (Melbourne)
- South Australia (Adelaide)
- Tasmania (Hobart)
- Australian Capital Territory (Canberra)
No Daylight Saving:
- Queensland (Brisbane)
- Western Australia (Perth)
- Northern Territory (Darwin)
If you’re in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, or Canberra, you’ll be shifting your clocks twice a year. If you’re in Brisbane, Perth, or Darwin nothing changes.
During daylight saving time, states that follow it are one hour ahead of Queensland, two hours ahead of WA, and 30 minutes ahead of NT.
Why Don’t All States Use Daylight Saving?
You’d think having the whole country on the same schedule would be easier, but daylight saving has been a debate for years.
- Queensland: People don’t like it because the sun already rises early. DST would mean later sunsets, which makes hot evenings even hotter. Every time there’s a vote, Queenslanders say no.
- Western Australia: They’ve trialled daylight saving four times, and every time, people voted against it.
- Northern Territory: The weather stays mostly the same year-round, so changing clocks wouldn’t do much.
For now, these states and territories are sticking with standard time.
How to Adjust Your Clocks for Daylight Saving
Most smartphones, computers, and smart home devices update automatically. But some appliances like ovens, microwaves, car dashboards, and old-school wall clocks need to be changed manually.
- On the first Sunday in October, move clocks forward one hour at 2:00 AM.
- On the first Sunday in April, move clocks back one hour at 3:00 AM.
If you forget, you might show up an hour early (or late) for work, appointments, or flights.
How Daylight Saving Affects Your Daily Life
- More daylight after work: Good for BBQs, outdoor workouts, and beach trips.
- Darker mornings: Bad for early risers. Coffee helps.
- Changes in business hours: Some companies adjust schedules to match other states.
- Transport confusion: Flights, trains, and meetings between states can get tricky.
- Pets and kids don’t care – Their body clocks stay the same, even if the actual time changes.
Does Daylight Saving Save Energy?
One of the original arguments for daylight saving was that it would save electricity by reducing how long people needed lights in the evening. But in modern times with air conditioning, longer workdays, and screens everywhere the energy savings aren’t as significant.
Some research suggests daylight saving slightly cuts electricity use, while others argue it barely makes a dent. Either way, energy bills don’t change much, and most people just make the most of the longer evenings.
If you’re moving homes and need to connect energy quickly, make sure your provider accounts for the time change especially if you’re in a daylight saving state.
The History of Daylight Saving in Australia
- Introduced during WWI to conserve energy.
- Brought back in WWII for the same reason.
- In 1971, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, and ACT made it permanent.
- Queensland, WA, and NT have rejected it multiple times through referendums.
Some states love it, others don’t, and so here we are.
Daylight Saving and Energy Connections
If you’re setting up a same day energy connection, daylight saving can affect activation times. Energy providers follow business hours, and when the clocks change, service windows might shift.
To connect power without delays:
- Check your local time zone if you’re booking an energy connection during DST transitions.
- Plan for potential time zone differences if you’re moving between states.
- Ask your energy retailer how daylight saving affects service times.
For those who want green energy providers, daylight saving can help solar panel efficiency, since longer daylight hours mean more power generation.
Daylight Saving and Technology
Most modern gadgets adjust for daylight saving automatically. But if you still have an alarm clock from 1995 or an oven that refuses to update, you’ll need to change it yourself.
Some smart home systems now sync with daylight saving schedules, automatically adjusting lights, thermostats, and even coffee machines to match the new time.
Daylight Saving Times Explained
If you’re in NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, or ACT, you’ll be changing your clocks twice a year. If you’re in QLD, WA, or NT, you can ignore the whole thing.
Whether you love it or hate it, knowing when daylight saving starts and ends can help avoid confusion, missed appointments, and showing up an hour late to work.
Just check your clocks, update your alarms, and if you’re moving homes, make sure your energy connections are sorted because the only thing worse than forgetting to change your clock is forgetting to connect power in your new place.
