Film production in Canberra
Between December and June, usable daylight in Canberra moves by 4h 44min — from 14h 31min down to 9h 47min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Canberra rises at 07:11 and sets at 16:58; the evening golden hour starts at 16:19 and runs for 39 minutes. By December that shifts to 05:44–20:15, with a 38-minute golden-hour window from 19:37.
In practice, a spread of 4h 44min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:05 | 20:22 | 14h 17min | 19:45 |
| February | 06:37 | 20:00 | 13h 23min | 19:26 |
| March | 07:03 | 19:24 | 12h 22min | 18:51 |
| April | 06:27 | 17:41 | 11h 14min | 17:07 |
| May | 06:52 | 17:10 | 10h 18min | 16:33 |
| June | 07:11 | 16:58 | 9h 47min | 16:19 |
| July | 07:11 | 17:09 | 9h 59min | 16:31 |
| August | 06:46 | 17:32 | 10h 46min | 16:56 |
| September | 06:05 | 17:55 | 11h 50min | 17:21 |
| October | 06:22 | 19:18 | 12h 56min | 18:44 |
| November | 05:50 | 19:48 | 13h 57min | 19:12 |
| December | 05:44 | 20:15 | 14h 31min | 19:37 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Canberra starts at 17:16 in June and ends at 17:27 — a window of 11 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 20:33. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (19:24) and September (17:55) there are 89 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in June, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Canberra?
In June it starts at 16:19 and lasts 39 minutes; in December it starts at 19:37 and lasts 38 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Canberra get?
Between 9h 47min in June and 14h 31min in December. The 4h 44min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Canberra?
On daylight length alone, December is strongest with 14h 31min of usable light.