Daylight Saving Time Ends in Australia
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Clocks go back on Sunday, 5 April 2026, across most of Australia – and this year, that date falls on Easter Sunday.
If you’re travelling over the long weekend or just trying to keep your schedule straight, here’s what’s changing and where.
Which States and Territories Turn Clocks Back
Not every part of Australia observes daylight saving time (DST). On 5 April, clocks roll back by one hour at 3:00 am in:
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Tasmania
- Australian Capital Territory
- South Australia (and Broken Hill)
Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory don’t observe DST, so no change happens there.
Crossing from Sydney to Brisbane after the switch? Brisbane will now be on the same time as Sydney again.
Two Exceptions Worth Knowing
Lord Howe Island does things a little differently. Instead of a full hour, clocks roll back just 30 minutes – from 2:00 am to 1:30 am.
It’s a quirk that catches people off guard if they’re planning a trip there.
Broken Hill is technically in NSW but follows South Australia’s central time zone rules. It goes from ACDT (UTC+10:30) back to ACST (UTC+9:30), not Sydney time.
What Changes After 5 April
Once DST ends, the time gap between Australian cities shifts. Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Hobart move from UTC+11 back to UTC+10 – which is the same as Brisbane.
So that one-hour buffer between the East Coast DST states and Queensland disappears.
Adelaide and Darwin also end up on the same time (both on ACST, UTC+9:30) after the change, which simplifies things for anyone travelling or working across those two cities.
| State/Territory | DST Change | UTC Offset After 5 April |
| NSW, VIC, ACT, TAS | Back 1 hour | UTC+10 |
| South Australia + Broken Hill | Back 1 hour | UTC+9:30 |
| Lord Howe Island | Back 30 mins | UTC+10:30 |
| Norfolk Island | Back 1 hour | UTC+11 |
| QLD, WA, NT | No change | UTC+10 / UTC+8 / UTC+9:30 |
Tips for Travellers
DST ending on Easter Sunday means a lot of people will be on the move.
If you’re flying into or out of a DST state on the morning of 5 April, pay close attention to your booking times.
The local hour between 2:00 am and 2:59 am technically happens twice that morning, which can create confusion with early check-outs, transfers, or domestic connections.
Visiting Lord Howe Island around that time? Double-check your ferry or flight schedule specifically for the 30-minute rollback – most people don’t realise it’s not a full hour.
Travelling through Queensland, WA, or the NT? No adjustment needed on your end.
NSW Bill to Shorten DST – Not in Effect
There’s a private member’s bill in the NSW Legislative Assembly – the Standard Time Amendment (Reduction of Daylight Saving) Bill 2026 – that proposes cutting the DST season shorter.
As of 27 March 2026, it’s only at the Notice of Motion stage and hasn’t been passed. The 5 April end date stands for 2026.
