Australian Central Time (ACT)

Australian Central Time (ACT) is observed in the central region of Australia, including the entire Northern Territory and South Australia, as well as the town of Broken Hill in western New South Wales. It operates on Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) at UTC+9:30 during the standard time period, and shifts to Australian Central Daylight Time (ACDT) at UTC+10:30 during daylight saving time, which is observed in South Australia and Broken Hill, but not in the Northern Territory.

Importance and Global Use of Australian Central Time

Australian Central Time is essential for managing public services and daily operations across central Australia. It supports cities such as Adelaide, Darwin, and Broken Hill, helping coordinate time-sensitive sectors like broadcasting, governance, education, and transportation within this large and sparsely populated area.

Although less globally prominent than Australian Eastern Time, ACT plays a key role in regional logistics, internal travel, and resource management, particularly in the mining and energy industries. Its half-hour offset is unique and highlights Australia's approach to matching local time more precisely with solar time across its wide geography.

Where and When ACT is used worldwide

Australia

Australian states and territories using ACST during winter and ACDT during summer:

• New South Wales - Broken Hill (Yancowinna County) only InfoThe rest of New South Wales observes AEST/AEDT time zones.
• South Australia

Australian states and territories using ACST all year:

• Northern Territory