Australia tourist information on accommodation, tours, cheap flights and car hire.

Amazing Australian Timezones

There are four main time zones in Australia:

- Eastern Standard Time (EST), which includes New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory;
- Central Standard Time (CST), which includes South Australia and the Northern Territory, this one is the most curious of all as many visitors to Australia have never heard of half hour time zones before and think you are trying to fool them.
- Western Standard Time (WST) - Western Australia. CST is one half hour behind EST, while WST is two hours behind EST.
- Western Central Time (WCT) if you thought the half hour time zone above was a joke, then how about the quarter hour time zone!

This unofficial time zone is only observed in Western Australia and only affects a few people in tiny towns along the Nullarbor. Only two other places in this world bother with quarter hour time zones; Nepal and the Chatham Islands (New Zealand)
Alan Dudley reported to us that this time zone may have been unofficial once, but as he drove into and out of it he saw official looking notices telling him to advance, or retard, his watch by forty-five minutes.
The tiny towns affected are hardly more than fuel stops and motels for long distance travellers, about half of whom are truck drivers, along the Eyre Highway, which connects eastern Australia with the west.
The towns involved are, starting at the eastern end:
Eucla
Mundrabilla
Madura
Cocklebiddy

Photo by Alan Dudley

Things get even more complicated when some states change to daylight savings and some do not, Queensland and Northern Territory do not participate in this.

Darwin

Brisbane

Sydney

Perth

Canberra

Adelaide

Melbourne

Hobart

At Camooweal, on the border of Queensland and the Northern Territory there is a sign telling you to adjust your watch by thirty minutes, and thirty years!

The timezones can lead to confusing situations and a friend of mine in W.A. was once rudely awoken by a phonecall at 05.30 in the morning when a bank employee from the east coast gave him a 'courtesy call' to check his address details.

Whatever time zone you are in, there is always time for a beer!

If you have any interesting info, or have had some funny experience with Australia's timezones let us know!

HOME PAGE
Tourist Information

General Information
And Entertainment

ACCOMMODATION IN AUSTRALIA
Bed & Breakfast
Budget Accommodation
Backpackers Hostels
Hotels in Australia

CAR HIRE IN AUSTRALIA
Australia Rental Cars
And Campervans

TOURS IN AUSTRALIA
What To Do In Australia

On-line Shopping

On-line Dating

About Australia

Visas For Australia

How To Get To Australia

How To Get Around

Travel Insurance

Travel Guides

Working In Australia

Australian Posters

Survival Tips

Weather, When To Go