When does daylight saving start in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT in 2026?
Daylight saving is almost here, with millions of Australians set for a change to their clocks. Here’s when it happens, which states are affected and what you need to do.
For Australians enjoying the longer spring days, there is good news as they are about to get even longer.
But millions of people will lose an hour of sleep when daylight saving kicks in.
Daylight saving is almost here, meaning Australians in several states and territories will soon wind their clocks forward and find themselves an hour ahead of other parts of the country.
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Here’s everything you need to know about when daylight saving starts, which states are affected and whether you’re gaining or losing an hour.
When does daylight saving start in Australia?
Daylight saving begins on Sunday, October 4, 2026. The same day as the NRL Grand Final.
The change happens on the first Sunday of October each year in the Australian states and territories that observe daylight saving.
At 2am on Sunday, clocks will jump forward one hour to 3am.
Unfortunately those affected lose an hour overnight.
The upside is an extra hour of daylight at the other end of the day, with later sunsets throughout spring and summer.
Daylight saving will remain in place until April 4, 2027, when clocks move backwards by an hour.
Which states have daylight saving?
Not every Australian will need to worry about changing their clocks.
Daylight saving is observed in:
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- Tasmania
- South Australia
- Australian Capital Territory
Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not observe daylight saving, meaning their clocks will stay exactly where they are.
It also means Australia will have a fresh set of time differences to keep track of, which is something worth remembering before calling friends, family or colleagues interstate.
Do the clocks go forward or backwards?
This time, they go forward.
An easy way to remember it is: spring forward, fall back.
At 2am on Sunday, October 4, clocks will skip straight ahead to 3am in states and territories observing daylight saving.
Most smartphones, computers, smartwatches and other connected devices should update automatically.
But old-school clocks, along with some ovens, microwaves, cars and appliances, may need to be changed manually.
Will daylight saving mess with your sleep?
That one-hour shift may not look like much on the clock, but it can take your body a little longer to catch up.
The Sleep Health Foundation says moving the clocks forward can disrupt sleep patterns as our internal body clock adjusts to the new schedule, increasing the chance of sleepiness in the days after the change.
And that missing hour can have consequences the following day.
“Although an hour less of sleep may not seem like a big deal, this amount of sleep loss can affect our performance the next day,” the foundation says.
People may be less alert than usual, particularly at the beginning and end of the day, with the foundation warning sleep disruption can increase the risk of accidents on the road and at work.
The good news is you can start preparing before the clocks change.
The foundation recommends going to bed 15 to 20 minutes earlier for three or four nights beforehand and setting your alarm 30 minutes earlier on the Saturday and Sunday mornings before the change.
Getting outside in the early morning sunlight, exercising in the morning and aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep each night can also help your body adjust.
