Victorians will need to wind their clocks back one hour when daylight saving ends this coming weekend.
Small Business Minister Joe Helper said daylight saving would officially end at 3am on Easter Sunday morning (April 4).
“While Victorians have enjoyed six months of additional daylight hours in the evening to spend with family and friends, this weekend we will revert back to Eastern Standard Time,” Mr Helper said.
“So before going to bed on Easter Saturday, Victorians need to remember to turn their clocks back one hour.
“We will then remain on Eastern Standard Time until October 3 when daylight saving will again commence.”
Mr Helper said this was the second year Victorians had enjoyed a full six months of daylight saving.
“After an agreement at the national level, the states that recognise daylight saving - Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory - decided it was important to harmonise when daylight saving started and ended,” he said.
“This creates certainty for tourists and certainty for business as the first Sunday in October and the first Sunday in April now mark the beginning and end of daylight saving.”
Mr Helper said the end of daylight saving was also a timely reminder for Victorians to change their smoke alarm batteries.
“House fires are more common in winter months, when people are using fires, heaters and other electrical equipment,” he said.
“So we encourage all Victorians when they change their clocks to also ensure they change their smoke alarm batteries.”