Australia

Website: au-Australia.com

Commonwealth of Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the world's smallest continent and a number of islands in the Southern, Indian and Pacific Oceans.  Australia's neighbouring countries are Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the north-east, and New Zealand to the south-east.

The continent of Australia has been inhabited for over 40,000 years by Indigenous Australians. On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated and the Commonwealth of Australia was formed. The current population of over 20 million is concentrated mainly in the large coastal cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. 

The capital of Australia is Canberra (Australia Capital Territory)

Australia Time Zones

Australia is divided into 6 states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania and 2 territories; the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

There are three time zones in Australia:

• Eastern Standard Time (EST): in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland.
• Central Standard Time (CST) in South Australia and Northern Territory.
• Western Standard Time (WST) in Western Australia.

Australian states except Northern Territory and Queensland have daylight saving during the summer months. Western Australia is operating experimental Summer Time from 2006 - 2009.

Official source: www.measurement.gov.au

The National Standards Commission (Commonwealth statutory authority established in 1950 and operating under the National Measurement Act 1960)

The Commission is responsible for advising the Government on the scientific, technical and legislative requirements of Australia's national measurement system, and has specific responsibilities for coordinating the national measurement system, ensuring that trade measurement instruments comply with international and national legal metrology standards, and for the completion of metrication.

Australia Daylight Saving Time

Changed from 2007-2008.  Summer Time (Daylight Saving Time) runs in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria. South Australia and Tasmania from the first Sunday in October through to the first Sunday in April.

Source: Australian Federal Government: www.australia.gov.au