How Does Daylight Saving Time Affect AEST?
Daylight Saving4 min readApril 1, 2026

How Does Daylight Saving Time Affect AEST?

How does Daylight Saving Time affect AEST? Not all Australian states observe DST. Here's which states switch to AEDT, when it happens, and how it affects international scheduling.

James Okafor
Science & History Writer

How Does Daylight Saving Time Affect AEST?

AEST (UTC+10) is used during Australian winter (April-October). In summer, some states switch to AEDT (UTC+11).

Which States Switch?

StateWinterSummer
NSW, VIC, TAS, ACTAEST (UTC+10)AEDT (UTC+11)
QueenslandAEST (UTC+10)AEST (UTC+10) — no DST

During Australian summer, Sydney and Brisbane are 1 hour apart.

Australian DST Dates 2026

  • Spring forward: October 4, 2026 (AEST to AEDT)
  • Fall back: April 5, 2026 (AEDT to AEST)

Impact on International Scheduling

PeriodSydneyNew York (EST)Gap
Australian winterAEST (UTC+10)EST (UTC-5)15 hours
Australian summerAEDT (UTC+11)EST (UTC-5)16 hours

Quick Answer

NSW, VIC, TAS, ACT switch AEST to AEDT in October, back in April. Queensland stays on AEST year-round.

#AEST#AEDT#Australia#DST