October 5, Canberra – Daylight Saving Time began in Australia on Sunday. In New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory, clocks were set forward by one hour at 2:00 AM, becoming 3:00 AM. This adjustment extends daylight hours in the evening during the summer months across these regions. It provides more daylight after work or study for activities such as exercise, recreation, and outdoor pursuits. However, the first day after the clock change may feel disruptive, with up to one hour less sleep for those maintaining regular waking and sleeping times. According to government advisories, the time change may affect sleep patterns and daily routines for several days, and it is recommended to gradually adjust sleep schedules and spend some time in morning daylight.
What does this mean for Nepalese? The most practical effect of Daylight Saving Time impacts Nepalese people living in Australia and those who maintain regular communication with Australia from Nepal. For example, when it is 7:00 PM in Sydney today, it will be 1:45 PM the same day in Kathmandu. Thus, with the time shift in Australia, not only the local clocks change but also the timings for conversations, work, and online meetings with Nepal change accordingly. Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Hobart will now be 5 hours and 15 minutes ahead of Nepal, compared to 4 hours and 15 minutes before the clock change. In South Australia’s Adelaide, the time difference will be 4 hours and 45 minutes ahead of Nepal. This means when scheduling calls, online classes, office meetings, or family chats between Nepal and Australia, the one-hour time difference adjustment must be accounted for.
This time difference is based on the Eastern and Central Australian Daylight Saving zones relative to Nepal’s fixed UTC+5:45 time zone. Brisbane will not observe the time change, so the time difference between Brisbane and Canberra, Sydney, or Melbourne will now be one hour. Perth also does not observe Daylight Saving Time, further increasing the time gap with Eastern Australia.
Not all of Australia changes clocks. Daylight Saving is not uniformly observed across the country. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the ACT move clocks forward by one hour on the first Sunday of October and set them back on the first Sunday of April the following year. Queensland, Northern Territory, and Western Australia do not participate in Daylight Saving. Therefore, time differences between cities in Australia vary depending on the season.
How is the clock changed? At 2:00 AM on Sunday morning, the time in participating states and territories jumps directly to 3:00 AM, effectively skipping one hour between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM. Many devices linked to smartphones, computers, and the internet update automatically. However, wall clocks, some watches, and manual devices may not adjust by themselves. Consequently, government departments advised checking and adjusting such clocks on Saturday night. Daylight Saving Time will remain in effect until April 4, 2027, when clocks will be turned back one hour from 3:00 AM to 2:00 AM.
