Time zones in Australia
Australia is divided into $3$3 time zones (shown below on the left-hand map). They are:
Eastern Standard Time (AEST): covering Queensland, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania.
Western Standard Time (AWST): covering Western Australia. ($2$2 hours behind AEST)
Central Standard Time (ACST): covering South Australia, Northern Territory. ($\frac{1}{2}$12 an hour behind AEST)
The time zones become a bit more tricky during Daylight Savings because not all the states use it. Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia stay on Standard Time. The map on the right shows that during Daylight Savings, Australia actually has $5$5 time zones!
During daylight savings, clocks are moved forward $1$1 hour from the standard time, so $8$8 am standard time would be $9$9 am in daylight savings time, $6$6 pm AEST would become $7$7 pm AEDT and so on.
Similarly, when we go from daylight savings time to standard time, clocks are moved back $1$1 hour, so $12$12 pm AEDT would be $11$11 am AEST and $14:22$14:22 AEDT would be $13:22$13:22 AEST.
Practice questions
Question 1
If it is $16$16:$14$14 in Sydney in Daylight Savings Time, what time would it be in Eastern Standard Time?
$16$16:$14$14 AEDT would be $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$ AEST.
Question 2
If it is $14$14:$35$35 in Sydney in Eastern Standard Time, what time would it be in Daylight Savings Time?
$14$14:$35$35 AEST would be $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$ AEDT.
Question 3
Complete the table to show the time in each time zone.
WST CST EST $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$ $5$5$:$:$25$25 $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$
$5$5$:$:$11$11 $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$ $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$ $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$ $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$ $12$12$:$:$25$25 $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$ $7$7$:$:$17$17 $\editable{}$$:$:$\editable{}$
Question 4
Luke and Maria board a train at $7$7:$58$58 PM on Saturday from Sydney, New South Wales towards Adelaide, South Australia.
If the trip to Adelaide took $20$20 hours and $22$22 mins then they arrived on $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$ PM Sunday in Adelaide local time.
Luke boards a train from Adelaide, South Australia at $5$5:$45$45 PM on Sunday to Darwin, Northern Territory. If his trip took $28$28 hours and $36$36 mins, then he arrived at $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$ PM Monday Darwin local time.
Maria boards a train from Adelaide, South Australia at $4$4:$55$55 PM Sunday towards Perth, Western Australia. If the trip took her $19$19 hours and $20$20 mins, then she arrived at $\editable{}$:$\editable{}$ AM in Perth local time.