Traditionally there are several events that take place in the October Labour Day long weekend; football grand finals, surf life savers return to patrol our beaches and double demerit points for drivers.

It also typically means the start of daylight saving time for most Australian states, but not this year.

For the first time since 2012, the first Sunday in October — when we move our clocks forward — does not fall on what is known as the October long weekend throughout many states.

So if you were thinking about switching your clocks forward this weekend, think again.

Another week until daylight saving

For many parents with young children, this likely means one more week of 5:00am wake up calls as their children rise with the sun.

"I didn't realise it doesn't start this weekend," Kathleen Owens of Wollongong, New South Wales said.

"We're now waking up at 5:55am, or even earlier than that.

People are being urged not to change their clocks for daylight saving time until next weekend. (ABC News)

"It would have been good to have a bit more of a sleep-in."

"We've been caught out before," another parent said.

"It will definitely affect the kids' sleeping patterns this weekend."

NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman oversees daylight saving time and said it was important that people did not get caught out thinking the time change takes place this weekend.

"About every seventh year you're going to have a long weekend that straddles September and October," Mr Speakman said.

"This year Labour Day Monday falls on October 1, which means we need to wait another week before daylight saving can start."

Ten years ago daylight saving time was extended and the date was brought forward by three weeks.

"The south-eastern states agreed to harmonise our daylight saving times," Mr Speakman said.

"So if NSW were to shift this weekend, we would be out of line with other states."

But not all states celebrate Labour Day at the same time, with only the Australian Capital Territory, NSW and South Australia marking the day during the October long weekend.

Longer days here to stay

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"I understand that some people in regional areas, particularly farmers, don't like daylight saving at the start and end of the season," Mr Speakman said.

"But my sense is that most people are pretty happy with it.

"People enjoy extra family time, barbeques, walking the dog and going to the beach on summer evenings and are pretty keen on keeping it as it is."

Daylight saving time begins in NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania and SA at 2:00am on Sunday, October 7, when clocks move forward by one hour.

It ends at 3:00am on Sunday, April 7 next year.

And of course it is business as usual in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australian, which do not adopt daylight saving time.