Every public holiday, explained
Pick a holiday for its dates, which states get the day off, and the long weekend it creates. Ordered by when they land in 2026.
- New Year's Day 1 Jan 2026
The first public holiday of the year, observed in every state and territory. When 1 January lands on a weekend, most jurisdictions move or add the day off on the following Monday.
- Show Days 7 Jan 2026
Agricultural show holidays, held on different dates in different places: Brisbane's Ekka Wednesday, the Gold Coast Show, the Northern Territory's five regional show Fridays and Tasmania's local cups, shows and AGFEST. Each applies only in its own area.
- Australia Day 26 Jan 2026
A national public holiday on 26 January. When it falls on a weekend, the holiday is observed on the following Monday everywhere; Victoria also keeps a Sunday 26th as a holiday.
- Royal Hobart Regatta 9 Feb 2026
Southern Tasmania's aquatic carnival, held since 1838: the second Monday in February is a public holiday in the south of the state while the north works on.
- Labour Day 2 Mar 2026
Every state marks Labour Day, but almost never on the same date: March in VIC, WA and TAS (as Eight Hours Day), May in QLD and the NT (as May Day), October in NSW, SA and the ACT.
- Canberra Day 9 Mar 2026
The ACT's own holiday on the second Monday in March, marking the naming of the capital in 1913.
- Adelaide Cup Day 9 Mar 2026
South Australia takes the second Monday in March off for the Adelaide Cup, run at Morphettville since 1864.
- Easter 3 Apr 2026
The longest run of public holidays in the year. Good Friday and Easter Monday are national; Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Tuesday depend on the state, which is why the table below differs between them.
- Anzac Day 25 Apr 2026
Commemorated on 25 April wherever it falls. What happens when that is a weekend depends on the state: some observe it on the Monday, some add a Monday, and some leave the calendar alone.
- May Day 4 May 2026
The Northern Territory's Labour Day, on the first Monday in May, honouring workers' rights. The rest of the country spreads its Labour Day across March, May and October.
- Western Australia Day 1 Jun 2026
WA only: the first Monday in June, marking the founding of the Swan River Colony. It is why WA pushes its King’s Birthday holiday to September.
- Reconciliation Day 1 Jun 2026
The ACT is the only jurisdiction with a Reconciliation Day public holiday: the first Monday on or after 27 May, the anniversary of the 1967 referendum.
- King's Birthday 8 Jun 2026
Most of the country takes the second Monday in June. Queensland holds it in October, and Western Australia proclaims its own date in late September, so check your state's row below.
- Picnic Day 3 Aug 2026
A Northern Territory original: the first Monday in August, a public holiday whose entire brief is in the name.
- Grand Final Friday 25 Sep 2026
Victoria’s public holiday on the Friday before the AFL Grand Final. The date tracks the AFL fixture, so it stays provisional until the league locks the season in and the government gazettes it.
- Recreation Day 2 Nov 2026
Northern Tasmania's answer to the south's Regatta day: the first Monday in November, a public holiday only in the north of the state.
- Melbourne Cup Day 3 Nov 2026
The race that stops the nation is a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne on the first Tuesday in November; many regional Victorian councils take their local show day instead.
- Christmas & Boxing Day 25 Dec 2026
Christmas Day and Boxing Day (Proclamation Day in South Australia) are public holidays everywhere, with extra weekdays added when they land on a weekend. SA, QLD and the NT also have part-day holidays on Christmas Eve.
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A NSW curiosity from 1912: the first Monday in August is a holiday for banks and certain financial institutions only, so most people work while the tellers rest.
Is a particular date a public holiday?
Look up any date, from 26 January to Boxing Day, and see which states have the day off in each year.
Check a dateHow the rules work
Who declares public holidays, what happens when one lands on a weekend, part-day holidays, regional show days and what you are owed if you work one.
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