Time Zones of Australia

Basic time zone concepts

The Time zone history section below hasn't kept up with recent changes, but the following paragraphs and the first table are correct as of March 2010.

Macquarie Island is changing its time zone from UTC+10 with DST to UTC+11 year-round.

South Australia has extended its daylight saving period to match the neighboring states.

Western Australia adopted daylight saving time during its summers for a trial period running from 2006-12-03 to 2009-03-29. The first transition was in December, because their debate came too late for an October start. Subsequent transitions were in October. The trial was not popular and will not be continued.

The Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne in March 2006. To minimize the disruption, Australian states that observed DST were asked to extend it from March 26 to April 2. They all complied.

Rules currently in force

StateStandardDSTDuration of DST
ACT, New South Wales, VictoriaUTC+10UTC+11From the first Sunday in October at 02:00
to the first Sunday in April at 03:00
Northern TerritoryUTC+9:30UTC+9:30None
QueenslandUTC+10UTC+10None
South AustraliaUTC+9:30UTC+10:30From the first Sunday in October at 02:00
to the first Sunday in April at 03:00
TasmaniaUTC+10UTC+11From the first Sunday in October at 02:00
to the first Sunday in April at 03:00
Western AustraliaUTC+8UTC+8None
Lord Howe IslandUTC+10:30UTC+11From the first Sunday in October at 02:00
to the first Sunday in April at 02:30
Macquarie IslandUTC+11UTC+11None

Notes:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands have no permanent residents. They are administered from Northern Territory, but (when people are present) they observe Western Australian Time.
Coral Sea Islands Territory has no permanent residents, except at a weather station on Willis Island. The tz database has no information about the territory. It uses Queensland Time.
Lord Howe Island and the nearby Ball's Pyramid are remote islands administered as part of New South Wales.
Macquarie Island is part of Tasmania, and used Tasmanian Time until 2010-04. After then it will remain on UTC+11, matching Tasmanian summer time.
Broken Hill, New South Wales, and nearby places observe South Australian Time. The tz database describes this area as "Yancowinna County". Yancowinna County seems to be obsolete, but here is an old map  (PDF) of it.
There is an unofficial time zone, locally referred to as Central Western Australia Time, halfway between Central and Western. This area maintained UTC+8:45 all year round until December 2006, when Western Australia began to observe DST. Now it, too, observes DST, setting its clocks to UTC+9:45 in the local summer. It consists of a few very small towns along the south coast where South Australia meets Western Australia, including Border Village, Eucla, Madura, and Mundrabilla.
Giles Meteorological Station (25°2'S, 128°17'E), in Western Australia, is reported to observe South Australian Time.
Narrabri Shire, New South Wales, was reportedly planning to remain on the regular last-Sunday-in-October transition for 2000, even though the rest of New South Wales had advanced the date to the last Sunday in August as a concession to the Sydney Olympics.

Time zone history

Source: This information was adapted from the tz database. Zone names come from that database. The names don't necessarily match any names used in the "real world".

Example: When it was 14:18 (or 2:18 p.m.) local time on 2000-09-03 (September 3, 2000) in Wollongong, Australia, what was the UTC?

Wollongong is in the state of New South Wales. From the first table, New South Wales is in the Australia/Sydney time zone. (This is a specialized meaning of "time zone", which is more precise than common usage.) In the second table, look in the block of rows for Australia/Sydney. Among them, look for the first row on which the Final Date exceeds 2000-09-03 14:18. You find that the third line has a date of "Present", which is the first to exceed 2000. Looking across the row, the AN rule applies, and standard time is UTC+10. Finally, look in the third table under the AN rule. Once again, find the date range that includes the date in question (2000-09). That would be the first range, "2000-08 to 2001-03". This rule says that daylight saving time was in effect from 02:00 [a.m.] of August 27, 2000 to 03:00 of March 25, 2001 for Wollongong. The date in question does in fact fall between those two dates, so daylight saving time was in effect. Therefore, the local time was standard time plus one hour, or UTC+11. Subtract eleven hours from the given time to get UTC. The answer is 2000-09-03 03:18 UTC.

Find the Zone Name for the given location.
AreaZone Name
Ashmore and Cartier IslandsAustralia/Perth
Australian Capital TerritoryAustralia/Sydney
Broken HillAustralia/Broken_Hill
Coral Sea Islands TerritoryAustralia/Brisbane
Holiday IslandsAustralia/Lindeman
Lord Howe IslandAustralia/Lord_Howe
New South Wales (except Broken Hill and Lord Howe Island)Australia/Sydney
Northern TerritoryAustralia/Darwin
Queensland (except Holiday Islands)Australia/Brisbane
South AustraliaAustralia/Adelaide
TasmaniaAustralia/Hobart
VictoriaAustralia/Melbourne
Western AustraliaAustralia/Perth

 

Note: The Holiday Islands are a resort area off the Pacific Coast of Queensland. Whitsunday Island is the largest of them. The Holiday Islands Zone comprises Hayman (20°03'S, 148°53'E), Lindeman (20°27'S, 149°02'E), and Hamilton (20°22'S, 148°57'E) Islands.

Find the Zone Name in the table above. Then use this table to
find the Rule and Standard Time for the given time and date.
Zone NameRuleStandard TimeFinal Date
Australia/AdelaideLocal 1895-02-01 00:00
StandardUTC+91899-05-01 00:00
AusUTC+9:301971-01-01 00:00
ASUTC+9:30Present
Australia/BrisbaneLocal 1895-01-01 00:00
AusUTC+101971-01-01 00:00
AQUTC+10Present
Australia/Broken_HillLocal 1895-02-01 00:00
StandardUTC+101896-08-23 00:00
StandardUTC+91899-05-01 00:00
AusUTC+9:301971-01-01 00:00
ANUTC+9:302000-01-01 00:00
ASUTC+9:30Present
Australia/DarwinLocal 1895-02-01 00:00
StandardUTC+91899-05-01 00:00
AusUTC+9:30Present
Australia/HobartLocal 1895-09-01 00:00
StandardUTC+101916-10-01 02:00
StandardUTC+111917-02-01 00:00
AusUTC+101967-01-01 00:00
ATUTC+10Present
Australia/LindemanLocal 1895-01-01 00:00
AusUTC+101971-01-01 00:00
AQUTC+101992-07-01 00:00
HolidayUTC+10Present
Australia/Lord_HoweLocal 1895-02-01 00:00
StandardUTC+101981-03-01 00:00
LHUTC+10:30Present
Australia/MelbourneLocal 1895-02-01 00:00
AusUTC+101971-01-01 00:00
AVUTC+10Present
Australia/PerthLocal 1895-12-01 00:00
AusUTC+81943-07-01 00:00
StandardUTC+81974-10-27 02:00
StandardUTC+91975-03-01 03:00
StandardUTC+81983-10-30 02:00
StandardUTC+91984-03-04 03:00
StandardUTC+81991-11-17 02:00
StandardUTC+91992-03-01 03:00
StandardUTC+8Present
Australia/SydneyLocal 1895-02-01 00:00
AusUTC+101971-01-01 00:00
ANUTC+10Present

 

Apply the Rule, using the Standard Time for the given time and place.
RuleYearsDescription
LocalAllLocal Mean Solar Time
StandardAllStandard Time with no DST
AusStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following periods:
1917from 1917-01-01 00:01 to 1917-03-25 02:00
1942from 1942-01-01 02:00 to 1942-03-29 02:00
1942-09 to 1943-03from 1942-09-27 02:00 to 1943-03-28 02:00
1943-10 to 1944-03from 1943-10-03 02:00 to 1944-03-26 02:00
ANStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following periods:
1971-10 to 1972-02from 1971-10-31 02:00 to 1972-02-27 03:00
1972-10 to 1981-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1981-10 to 1982-04from 1981-10-25 02:00 to 1982-04-04 03:00
1982-10 to 1985-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1985-10 to 1986-03from 1985-10-27 02:00 to 1986-03-16 03:00
1986-10 to 1987-03from 1986-10-19 02:00 to 1987-03-15 03:00
1987-10 to 1989-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the third Sunday in March at 03:00
1989-10 to 1995-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1995-10 to 2000-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
2000-08 to 2001-03from 2000-08-27 02:00 to 2001-03-25 03:00
2001-10 onwardfrom the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
AQStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following periods:
1971-10 to 1972-02from 1971-10-31 02:00 to 1972-02-27 03:00
1989-10 to 1992-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
ASStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following periods:
1971-10 to 1972-02from 1971-10-31 02:00 to 1972-02-27 03:00
1972-10 to 1985-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1985-10 to 1986-03from 1985-10-27 02:00 to 1986-03-16 03:00
1986-10 to 1987-03from 1986-10-19 02:00 to 1987-03-15 03:00
1987-10 to 1989-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the third Sunday in March at 03:00
1989-10 to 1990-03from 1989-10-29 02:00 to 1990-03-18 03:00
1990-10 to 1991-03from 1990-10-28 02:00 to 1991-03-03 03:00
1991-10 to 1992-03from 1991-10-27 02:00 to 1992-03-22 03:00
1992-10 to 1993-03from 1992-10-25 02:00 to 1993-03-07 03:00
1993-10 to 1994-03from 1993-10-31 02:00 to 1994-03-20 03:00
1994-10 to 2005-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
2005-10 to 2006-04from 2005-10-30 02:00 to 2006-04-02 03:00
2006-10 onwardfrom the first Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in April at 03:00
ATStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following periods:
1967-10 to 1968-03from 1967-10-01 02:00 to 1968-03-31 03:00
1968-10 to 1971-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the second Sunday in March at 03:00
1971-10 to 1972-02from 1971-10-31 02:00 to 1972-02-27 03:00
1972-10 to 1981-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1981-10 to 1983-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
1983-10 to 1986-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1986-10 to 1987-03from 1986-10-19 02:00 to 1987-03-15 03:00
1987-10 to 1988-03from 1987-10-25 02:00 to 1988-03-20 03:00
1988-10 to 1990-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the third Sunday in March at 03:00
1990-10 to 1991-03from 1990-10-28 02:00 to 1991-03-31 03:00
1991-10 to 2000-03from the first Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
2000-08 to 2001-03from 2000-08-27 02:00 to 2001-03-25 03:00
2001-10 onwardfrom the first Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
AVStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following periods:
1971-10 to 1972-02from 1971-10-31 02:00 to 1972-02-27 03:00
1972-10 to 1985-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1985-10 to 1986-03from 1985-10-27 02:00 to 1986-03-16 03:00
1986-10 to 1988-03from the third Sunday in October at 02:00 to the third Sunday in March at 03:00
1988-10 to 1990-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the third Sunday in March at 03:00
1990-10 to 1994-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
1994-10 to 2000-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
2000-08 to 2001-03from 2000-08-27 02:00 to 2001-03-25 03:00
2001-10 onwardfrom the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 03:00
HolidayStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following periods:
1992-10 to 1994-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
LHStandard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 1:00 during the following period:
1981-10 to 1985-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 03:00
Standard Time, with DST = Standard Time + 0:30 during the following periods:
1985-10 to 1986-03from 1985-10-27 02:00 to 1986-03-16 02:30
1986-10 to 1987-03from 1986-10-19 02:00 to 1987-03-15 02:30
1987-10 to 1989-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the third Sunday in March at 02:30
1989-10 to 1995-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the first Sunday in March at 02:30
1995-10 to 2000-03from the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 02:30
2000-08 to 2001-03from 2000-08-27 02:00 to 2001-03-25 02:30
2001-10 onwardfrom the last Sunday in October at 02:00 to the last Sunday in March at 02:30

Time zone names

According to the Australian National Standards Commission, the official names and abbreviations for Australian time zones are:

Standard TimeDaylight Saving Time
AbbrevNameOffsetAbbrevNameOffset
AESTAustralian Eastern Standard TimeUTC+10AEDTAustralian Eastern Daylight TimeUTC+11
ACSTAustralian Central Standard TimeUTC+9:30ACDTAustralian Central Daylight TimeUTC+10:30
AWSTAustralian Western Standard TimeUTC+8AWDTAustralian Western Daylight TimeUTC+9

 

The tz database uses the following time zone names and abbreviations for Australian time zones. They were chosen on the basis of information received from Australian residents. That information has been called into question.

AbbreviationStandard TimeDaylight Saving Time
ESTEastern Standard TimeEastern Summer Time
CSTCentral Standard TimeCentral Summer Time
WSTWestern Standard TimeWestern Summer Time

 

Sometimes Eastern Summer Time is called "Eastern Standard Summer Time", with ESST as its abbreviation. Still more rarely, you may see Central Standard Summer Time or CSST. The tz database invented the abbreviation LHST for Lord Howe Island Standard Time.

References:
Australia Government Time Zones 
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology FAQ 
Bureau of Meteorology DST History 
ACT: Standard Time and Summer Time Act 1972 
NSW: Standard Time Act 1987 (updated 1995-04-04) 
NSW: Daylight Saving in New South Wales. 
NSW: Narrabri Council to ignore daylight saving 
NSW: Broken Hill to be behind the times 
Qld: No daylight savings for Olympics 
SA: Standard Time Act, 1898 
SA: Reject Olympics daylight savings request 
Tas: Official Policy 
WA: Daylight saving bill 2006  (PDF)

Back to main statoids page Last updated: 2010-03-10
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