Antarctic · Dependency
Current time in Heard Island and McDonald Islands
No official time zone is designated.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About Heard Island and McDonald Islands's time
No official time zone.
Heard Island and McDonald Islands are uninhabited Australian external territories with no permanent timezone. Research expeditions and temporary visitors can set their own time — often UTC+5 to align with Perth, Australia — but no official zone is designated.
Did you know?
Things about Heard Island and McDonald Islands's time.
Since the islands have no permanent population or civilian infrastructure, there has never been an official timezone designation by Australian authorities. Research teams and expedition leaders simply choose a reference time for logistical convenience. Heard Island sits at roughly 73°E longitude — which geographically aligns with a UTC+5 zone covering Western Australia — and this is the offset most commonly used in practice. The islands' remoteness makes them a unique footnote in timezone discussions: a territory recognized by the IANA timezone database only as a non-zone, represented as an empty placeholder.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Heard Island and McDonald Islands's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- What timezone is used on Heard Island?
- No official timezone is designated. Scientific expeditions and temporary visitors typically use UTC+5 to align with Western Australia (Perth), depending on logistical support and supply chains.
- Is there a permanent population or timezone on the islands?
- No — both Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are uninhabited. They are extremely remote sub-Antarctic volcanic islands under Australian sovereignty, with no year-round residents, infrastructure, or formal timekeeping.
- Why does the database show zero timezones for Heard and McDonald Islands?
- Because there are no official timezone rules defined. The islands don't observe DST or any standard zone. The lack of permanent inhabitants means there's no practical need for an officially designated timezone.
- Could someone visit and set their own clock?
- In practice, yes. Any visiting team would likely synchronize with their home base — usually UTC+5 (Perth) — for supply runs, communications, and daily schedules. But there would be no enforcing authority or official system.
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