TLDR
Five states and territories push clocks forward one hour at 2am Sunday, losing an hour of sleep but gaining an evening of extra daylight. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory stay on standard time, splitting the east coast by one hour until April.
Clocks in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory go forward one hour at 2am on Sunday 4 October 2026, moving to 3am.[1] Residents lose one hour of sleep when clocks move forward by one hour and gain an extra hour of evening daylight through summer.
Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not observe daylight saving.[1] Brisbane sits one hour behind Sydney from Sunday until clocks return in April.
What updates automatically and what does not
Most smartphones and internet-connected devices adjust without any action from the user.[1] Analogue clocks, microwave ovens, car dashboards and older alarm clocks require a manual reset.
Pay for overnight workers
An employee who works an overnight shift and is paid by the clock will work one hour less but still get payment for the full shift, according to the Fair Work Ombudsman.[3] The same rule applies unless an enterprise agreement or contract states otherwise.
Grand Final timing
The NRL Grand Final kicks off at 7:30pm AEDT on Sunday, with gates opening at 1:00pm AEDT and the NRLW Grand Final starting at 4:00pm AEDT.[2] Queensland viewers, remaining on standard time, see the main game at 6:30pm local time.
Daylight saving ends at 3am on Sunday 4 April 2027, when clocks go back one hour to 2am.[1]
KEY TAKEAWAYS
SOURCES & CITATIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Which states observe daylight saving in 2026?
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When does daylight saving end in 2027?
Do I need to manually update my phone?
Caleb Reed covers breaking news and sport. He works to the rhythm of a story as it unfolds, and he is happiest when the facts arrive faster than anyone can spin them.
