Does Australia have daylight saving time?
Some parts of Australia use daylight saving time and others do not. New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT move their clocks forward one hour in summer, while Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory stay on standard time.
Daylight saving runs from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April. Clocks go forward at 2am in spring and back at 3am in autumn.
Supporters say daylight saving gives people more sunlight in the evening for sport, shopping and outdoor activities. Opponents argue it disrupts farming routines and is unnecessary in tropical areas, where the length of the day changes little through the year.
Queensland tried daylight saving between 1989 and 1992, but a referendum in 1992 rejected it. Western Australia held several trials and referendums, the latest in 2009, and voters rejected it each time.
Different times in summer
Because of these differences, Brisbane is one hour behind Sydney in summer even though both cities use Eastern Standard Time. Travelers crossing state borders, such as between Coolangatta and Tweed Heads, may notice the clocks change across a single street.
Did You Know?
Tasmania was the first state to introduce regular daylight saving, partly because of its long summer evenings.