Just as it starts to feel like the last generous stretch of summer is slipping away, daylight saving delivers its final indignity. Slightly melodramatic, perhaps. But in under ten days, we lose those long, light-dappled evenings.
Still, it’s not entirely grim. If you’ve found yourself up early this week, greeted by a sky brushed in soft pinks and gold, you’re not imagining it. Australia’s sunrises feel particularly vivid in this final stretch.
Autumn, it turns out, offers near-perfect conditions for a good sunrise. Later start times, cooler, clearer air and just enough cloud cover to catch and scatter the light all play their part.
On April 5, we wind the clocks back an hour and say a reluctant goodbye to those lingering evenings. Until then, consider this your cue to lean into the mornings. The payoff, right now, is unusually good.
If you’ve been meaning to become a morning person, even briefly, this might be your window. After that, all the sartorial pleasures of winter dressing await.
When Does Daylight Saving End In Australia?
Daylight saving will come to a close on Sunday, April 5, at 3am AEDT, when clocks are wound back an hour to 2am.
The shift happens annually, with daylight saving ending on the first Sunday of April and returning again on the first Sunday of October.
As always, the change won’t be felt uniformly across the country. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory will all observe the time shift, while Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory remain unchanged, opting out of daylight saving altogether.
According to the New South Wales Government’s website, daylight saving is designed to make better use of daylight during the warmer months. By shifting an hour of light into the evening, it creates more time for outdoor activities after work or school. It also offers a practical benefit, helping to reduce energy use by limiting the need for artificial lighting in the evenings.
What Happens When Daylight Savings Ends?
In NSW, daylight saving ends at 3am, when clocks are set back one hour to 2am. This essentially means the hour between 2am and 3am occurs twice.
This means Australians in all but three states and territories will enjoy an extra hour in the early morning on Sunday, April 5.
When Do Daylight Savings Start Again?
Daylight saving will return on Sunday, October 4, 2026, when clocks move forward one hour at 2am AEST, shifting to 3am AEDT. The change will be observed across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
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