Summary
Daylight saving 2026 Australia begins in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT on Sunday 4 October 2026 at 2:00am local time — clocks spring forward one hour to 3:00am — Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not observe daylight saving and are unaffected; most smartphones and computers update automatically, but analogue clocks, car dashboards, ovens and microwaves need to be changed manually; residents in affected states lose one hour of sleep on the night of 4 October but gain an extra hour of evening daylight throughout spring and summer
Daylight saving ends on Sunday 4 April 2027 at 3:00am — clocks fall back one hour to 2:00am — until then, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS and the ACT operate on Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT, UTC+11), Central Daylight Time (ACDT, UTC+10:30 for SA) and Australian Eastern Daylight Time for Tasmania
The clock change shifts the time difference between Australia’s east coast and every country that does not change on the same date — the UK and Europe fall back on 26 October 2026; the US falls back on 1 November 2026; India, the Philippines, Vietnam and Nepal do not observe daylight saving at all; this means the time gap between Sydney and these destinations temporarily widens from 4 October until those other countries make their own change
When does daylight saving start in Australia in 2026?
Sunday 4 October 2026 at 2:00am local time.
At 2:00am, clocks jump forward one hour to 3:00am. The night is one hour shorter — which is why those in affected states lose an hour of sleep that night. The upside: an extra hour of evening daylight throughout spring and summer.
Daylight saving 2026-27 key dates:
| Event | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Daylight saving starts | Sunday 4 October 2026, 2:00am | Clocks spring forward to 3:00am |
| Daylight saving ends | Sunday 4 April 2027, 3:00am | Clocks fall back to 2:00am |
Which Australian states observe daylight saving?
Yes — daylight saving observed:
- New South Wales (NSW)
- Victoria (VIC)
- South Australia (SA)
- Tasmania (TAS)
- Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
No — clocks stay the same:
- Queensland (QLD)
- Western Australia (WA)
- Northern Territory (NT)
This means Sydney will be one hour ahead of Brisbane from 4 October until Queensland and NSW once again align in April. If you are calling, meeting or transferring money to family or colleagues across state borders, take note of the change.
Time zones after 4 October 2026
Once clocks spring forward in the states and territories that observe daylight saving, Australian time zones shift as follows:
| State/Territory | Time zone | UTC offset |
|---|---|---|
| NSW, VIC, TAS, ACT | AEDT (Australian Eastern Daylight Time) | UTC+11 |
| South Australia | ACDT (Australian Central Daylight Time) | UTC+10:30 |
| Queensland | AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) — unchanged | UTC+10 |
| Western Australia | AWST (Australian Western Standard Time) — unchanged | UTC+8 |
| Northern Territory | ACST (Australian Central Standard Time) — unchanged | UTC+9:30 |
How the clock change affects time differences with key countries
This is the part that matters most for sending money home, scheduling calls with family overseas and managing international business.
Most of the countries OrbitRemit’s customers send money to — India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, Fiji, Samoa — do not observe daylight saving. Their clocks stay fixed year-round. When Australia springs forward, the time gap between Sydney and those countries widens by one hour.
India (IST, UTC+5:30)
| Period | Sydney time | Time difference |
|---|---|---|
| Before 4 October (AEST, UTC+10) | 9:00am in Sydney | 3:30am in India |
| After 4 October (AEDT, UTC+11) | 9:00am in Sydney | 2:30am in India |
Sydney moves one hour further ahead of India from 4 October. If you have a regular call with family in India at a fixed Sydney time, that call now falls one hour earlier in India.
Philippines (PHT, UTC+8)
| Period | Sydney time | Time difference |
|---|---|---|
| Before 4 October (AEST, UTC+10) | Sydney 2 hours ahead | 9:00am Sydney = 7:00am Manila |
| After 4 October (AEDT, UTC+11) | Sydney 3 hours ahead | 9:00am Sydney = 6:00am Manila |
Vietnam (ICT, UTC+7)
| Period | Sydney time | Time difference |
|---|---|---|
| Before 4 October (AEST, UTC+10) | Sydney 3 hours ahead | 9:00am Sydney = 6:00am Ho Chi Minh City |
| After 4 October (AEDT, UTC+11) | Sydney 4 hours ahead | 9:00am Sydney = 5:00am Ho Chi Minh City |
Nepal (NPT, UTC+5:45)
| Period | Sydney time | Time difference |
|---|---|---|
| Before 4 October (AEST, UTC+10) | Sydney 4h15m ahead | 9:00am Sydney = 4:45am Kathmandu |
| After 4 October (AEDT, UTC+11) | Sydney 5h15m ahead | 9:00am Sydney = 3:45am Kathmandu |
United Kingdom
The UK falls back on Sunday 26 October 2026 — moving from BST (UTC+1) to GMT (UTC+0). Until 26 October, the gap between Sydney and London is 10 hours (AEDT UTC+11 minus BST UTC+1 = 10 hours). After 26 October, the gap widens to 11 hours (AEDT UTC+11 minus GMT UTC+0 = 11 hours).
United States (New York — Eastern Time)
The US falls back on Sunday 1 November 2026 — moving from EDT (UTC-4) to EST (UTC-5). From 4 October until 1 November, Sydney (AEDT, UTC+11) is 15 hours ahead of New York (EDT, UTC-4). From 1 November, the gap widens to 16 hours (AEDT UTC+11 minus EST UTC-5 = 16 hours).
China and Hong Kong (CST, UTC+8)
China and Hong Kong do not observe daylight saving. From 4 October, Sydney (AEDT, UTC+11) moves to 3 hours ahead of Beijing/Hong Kong (UTC+8).
Sending money home — does the clock change matter?
For most OrbitRemit transfers, the clock change has no direct impact on the exchange rate or the fee — those are set at the time you confirm your transfer, regardless of the time zone.
Where it can matter:
Processing times: OrbitRemit processes transfers during Australian business hours. If you send a transfer late on a Sunday evening (like the night of 4 October), allow for the standard processing window. Transfers initiated after business hours process on the next business day.
Scheduling calls before transferring: Many customers call family before sending money to confirm account details. After 4 October, the time difference with India, the Philippines, Vietnam and Nepal widens by one hour — make sure you are calling at a reasonable hour for the recipient, not just for you.
Bank opening hours in destination countries: When you transfer money, it arrives in the recipient’s local bank during their banking hours. The clock change in Australia does not affect when banks open in India, the Philippines, Vietnam or Nepal — those remain fixed.
Quick tips for the clock change
Check your clocks: Smartphones, computers and smart TVs update automatically. Manually check: microwave, oven, car dashboard, wall clocks, alarm clocks and any device without an automatic time update.
Sleep: Going to bed at your normal time on Saturday 3 October means waking up one hour earlier than usual by the clock. Go to bed an hour earlier if you need to be up at a specific time on Sunday morning.
Remind interstate contacts: If you regularly call or message family or colleagues in Queensland, Western Australia or the Northern Territory, remember they are now one hour behind you from 4 October. A call that used to go through at the same time now needs to be scheduled one hour later.
International scheduling: If you have recurring video calls with family in India, the Philippines, Vietnam or Nepal at a fixed Sydney time — let them know the Sydney time is now one hour later in their local time from 4 October.
FAQs (frequently asked questions)
When does daylight saving start in Australia in 2026?
Sunday 4 October 2026 at 2:00am local time. Clocks spring forward one hour to 3:00am in NSW, VIC, SA, TAS and the ACT.
Do clocks go forward or back in October?
Forward — spring forward. At 2:00am on Sunday 4 October, clocks jump ahead one hour to 3:00am. You lose one hour of sleep but gain an extra hour of evening daylight.
Which states don’t observe daylight saving?
Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Their clocks remain unchanged on 4 October.
When does daylight saving end in 2027?
Sunday 4 April 2027 at 3:00am. Clocks fall back one hour to 2:00am — returning to standard time.
Does the clock change affect money transfers to India, Philippines or Vietnam?
Not directly — your transfer fee and exchange rate are locked at confirmation, regardless of the time. The clock change does mean the time gap between Sydney and those countries widens by one hour from 4 October, which may affect when you choose to call family before sending.
How much ahead is Sydney of London after 4 October?
Sydney (AEDT, UTC+11) is 10 hours ahead of London (BST, UTC+1) from 4 October until the UK falls back on 26 October 2026, after which the gap widens to 11 hours
Time zone information is for general guidance — verify current differences at timeanddate.com. Last updated September 2026.
Sources: nsw.gov.au — Daylight saving (official) | timeanddate.com — Time Change 2026 in Australia | thenightly.com.au — When does daylight saving start in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT in 2026? | mynrma.com.au — When does daylight saving start in Australia in 2026? (27 August 2026) | timeout.com/sydney — NSW daylight savings 2026 everything you need to know (September 7, 2026) | timeout.com/australia — When does daylight savings start in Australia for 2026? (September 1, 2026)
