As the first Sunday in October approaches, Australians prepare to set their clocks forward an hour as Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins. Save the date—DST begins at 2 AM AEST on Sunday, October 5, 2025. This morning, clocks should roll ahead one hour to 3 AM. This is just the start of an annual cosmopolitanization time shift that triggers the same effects in six other states across the country.
Daylight Saving Time always ends on the last Sunday in October. On that day, at 2 AM AEST, clocks will jump back one hour and back to standard time. This seasonal change brings longer daylight hours in the evenings, allowing people to enjoy more sunlight after work and school.
For countries that do observe DST, there ultimately is a temporary loss of sleep associated with the change—in this case when the clocks spring forward. In Australia, folks can expect to lose an hour of sleep on the morning of October 5. They’ll have to modify their day’s plans to fit with the new time. After the switch, sunset will happen an hour later on the clock while the mornings will be darker than they would otherwise be.
Daylight Saving Time is not widely accepted even in Australia. New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and Tasmania all join in on this idiotic time change. Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory don’t recognize it. This difference creates a rare phenomenon where Australia goes from three time zones to five during DST.
Australia’s unique geography and climate has sparked ongoing debate over the value of Daylight Saving Time. According to Professor Leon Lack from Flinders University, “In a large geographically and climatically diverse country, one size does not necessarily fit all and should not be imposed upon all.” This common sentiment is at the core of the international debate over whether DST is needed or beneficial at all, much less everywhere.
It’s well-documented that the switch into Daylight Saving Time is initially tough on some individuals. Negative impacts are often short-lived, subsiding within one to three months. This is not to say that our research doesn’t suggest that the initial transition into Daylight Saving Time can be especially challenging. Any adverse impacts tend to be temporary, clearing up within one to three months,” said Lack.
The Sleep Health Foundation in Australia noted the need to acclimatize to the time change. They noted, “Our internal body clock or 24-hour circadian rhythm will have to adjust to the time shift.” What they didn’t tell us, though, is that most people are quick to adjust. Some might find themselves feeling sleepier, especially while they get used to the change.
Surveys of citizens, flown across the continent, show near universal support of Australians for Daylight Saving Time. Who doesn’t enjoy the longer daylight hours that Daylight Saving Time (DST) provides? It sets the stage for great outdoor recreation and cultural events as the weather warms.
