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Time Zones in Australia

Multiple Time Zones

Country: Australia
Long Name: Commonwealth of Australia
Abbreviations: AU, AUS
Capital: Canberra
Time Zones: 6 (Main Country)
Total Time Zones: 9 (with dependencies)
Dial Code: +61

Time Zones Currently Being Used in Australia

OffsetTime Zone Abbreviation & NameExample CityCurrent Time
UTC +8AWSTAustralian Western Standard TimePerthThu, 09:26:29
UTC +8:45ACWSTAustralian Central Western Standard TimeEuclaThu, 10:11:29
UTC +9:30ACSTAustralian Central Standard TimeDarwinThu, 10:56:29
UTC +10AESTAustralian Eastern Standard TimeBrisbaneThu, 11:26:29
UTC +10:30ACDTAustralian Central Daylight TimeAdelaideThu, 11:56:29
UTC +11AEDTAustralian Eastern Daylight TimeSydneyThu, 12:26:29
LHDTLord Howe Daylight TimeLord Howe IslandThu, 12:26:29

How Many Time Zones Are There in Australia?

There are 6 time zones in Australia. Adding the country's 3 dependencies (see table below) brings the total to 9 time zones.

Australia's mainland states and territories are divided into 5 standard time zones. As Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory don't use Daylight Saving Time (DST), there are only 3 corresponding DST time zones.

Generalized Time Zones in Australia

Time Zone Abbreviation & NameOffsetCurrent Time
ACTAustralian Central TimeUTC +9:30 / +10:30Thu, 11:56:29
AETAustralian Eastern TimeUTC +10:00 / +11:00Thu, 12:26:29

Time zones in mainland Australia are often referred to by their generic name, without differentiating between standard time and Daylight Saving Time designations. For example, Australian Central Time (ACT) refers to both Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) and Australian Central Daylight Time (ACDT), depending on which is currently in use.

Note: Local time in these time zones changes when Daylight Saving Time begins and ends.


Time Zone Not Currently Being Observed in Australia

OffsetTime Zone Abbreviation & NameCommences
UTC +10:30LHSTLord Howe Standard Time7 Apr 2024

The above time zone is used during other parts of the year. It will become active again after the next clock change as Daylight Saving Time begins or ends.

Daylight Saving Time is used in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria.

Lord Howe Island is a part of New South Wales. It uses Lord Howe Standard Time (LHST) as standard time and Lord Howe Daylight Time (LHST) during DST.


Time Zones Being Used in Dependencies of Australia

OffsetTime Zone Abbreviation & NameDependencyTypeCurrent Time
UTC +6:30CCTCocos Islands TimeCocos IslandsTerritoryThu, 07:56:29
UTC +7CXTChristmas Island TimeChristmas IslandTerritoryThu, 08:26:29
UTC +12NFDTNorfolk Daylight TimeNorfolk IslandTerritoryThu, 13:26:29

The Australian dependencies don't use DST.

Time Zones in Australia

Australia has a complex set of time zones, some of which have an unusual UTC offset.

Some locations, including Eucla and Broken Hill, observe time zones that are different from the state they are located in.

Australian Time Zone History

Australia standardized its civil time in 1895. Until then, each location in the country observed its own solar time. From 1895 Australia based its local times on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), then the world's time standard.

Australia
12:2629
Thursday, 4 April 2024