When is Royal Hobart Regatta?

Australia's oldest sporting holiday

The Royal Hobart Regatta has been held on the Derwent since 1838, when Governor Sir John Franklin staged the first one, which makes it one of the oldest continuously held sporting events in the country. The public holiday for it is observed on the second Monday in February in southern Tasmania, which is the only place in Australia to get a long weekend in February.

The holiday applies to the southern municipalities only. Northern Tasmania works on the Regatta Monday and takes its own day, Recreation Day, on the first Monday in November instead. The split is written into the Statutory Holidays Act, so it is not a council decision, and it means an employer's location decides which of the two days a worker gets.

What the weekend looks like

The regatta itself runs across the long weekend on the Hobart waterfront, with rowing, sailing and a carnival on the Regatta Grounds. For Hobart workers it is the first public holiday after Australia Day and a chance to spend leave before Easter. The planner ranks the combinations, though note it treats regional days as applying to the whole state, so check that your workplace is in the south before counting on the Monday.

Which areas count as the south

The Statutory Holidays Act lists the municipalities that observe the Regatta holiday. They are the councils of greater Hobart, including Hobart, Glenorchy, Clarence and Kingborough, together with the Huon Valley, the Derwent Valley and the other southern councils. Everywhere else in Tasmania, from Launceston to the north-west coast, works on the second Monday in February and takes Recreation Day in November instead.

Employers with sites in both halves of the state give each site its own regional day. If you work from home for a Hobart employer, most awards treat your employer's location as the relevant one, but check yours.