Holiday Calendar — Australian Public Holidays Explained

Q: Do public holiday entitlements differ by state?

Yes. While most states observe the same core holidays, the exact dates (especially for Easter Saturday and the Queen's Birthday) vary. ACT, NSW, SA, and TAS observe an additional Easter Saturday holiday. The Queen's/King's Birthday is held on different dates across states.

Q: What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend?

When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, most states substitute the following Monday (or Friday for Saturday holidays in some jurisdictions) as the observed public holiday. This is called a 'substitute holiday'.

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Quick Answer: Australian Public Holidays 2026

Australia has 8 nationally recognised public holidays: New Year's Day (1 Jan), Australia Day (26 Jan), Good Friday (3 Apr), Easter Saturday (4 Apr — some states), Easter Monday (6 Apr), ANZAC Day (25 Apr), Christmas Day (25 Dec), and Boxing Day (26 Dec). Additionally, each state and territory observes its own holidays such as the King's Birthday and state-specific days. From 20 February 2026, the next national public holiday is Easter Friday — 3 April 2026 (41 days away).

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Australian Public Holidays 2026 — Full Table

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Date 2026	Holiday	Day	Coverage
1 Jan	New Year's Day	Thursday	National
26 Jan	Australia Day	Monday	National
3 Apr	Good Friday	Friday	National
4 Apr	Easter Saturday	Saturday	ACT, NSW, SA, TAS
5 Apr	Easter Sunday	Sunday	ACT, NSW, VIC, QLD
6 Apr	Easter Monday	Monday	National
25 Apr	ANZAC Day	Saturday	National
27 Apr	ANZAC Day (substitute)	Monday	Most states
8 Jun	King's Birthday	Monday	ACT, NSW, SA, TAS
22 Jun	King's Birthday (WA)	Monday	WA only
3 Aug	Picnic Day (NT)	Monday	NT only
25 Sep	King's Birthday (QLD)	Friday	QLD only
2 Nov	Melbourne Cup Day	Tuesday	VIC metro
25 Dec	Christmas Day	Friday	National
28 Dec	Boxing Day (substitute)	Monday	National

Easter dates computed using the Anonymous Gregorian algorithm. King's Birthday dates are subject to official proclamation. Always verify with your state government's official public holiday list.

State-by-State Public Holiday Differences

Queensland

Queensland celebrates the King's Birthday on the last Monday of September (Friday 25 September 2026 — note QLD has moved this to a Friday). The Brisbane Ekka (Royal Queensland Show) provides a regional show day holiday for the Brisbane metropolitan area, typically in August.

Victoria

Victoria is unique in observing Melbourne Cup Day as a public holiday for the Melbourne metropolitan area on the first Tuesday of November. The AFL Grand Final Eve public holiday was introduced in 2015 for the Friday before the AFL Grand Final, which is held on the last Saturday of September.

Western Australia

Western Australia observes the King's Birthday on the fourth Monday of September (22 June 2026 in this list is provisional — confirm with the WA government). WA also has a Queen's Birthday history that may be renamed following royal changes.

ACT

The ACT observes the Family & Community Day (Reconciliation Day) on the Monday before or on 27 May. Canberra Day is held on the second Monday of March (9 March 2026).

South Australia

Adelaide Cup Day is observed on the second Monday of May (11 May 2026). Proclamation Day (28 December, or 29 December if the 28th falls on a weekend) is unique to SA.

Northern Territory

The NT observes Picnic Day on the first Monday of August (3 August 2026) — a remnant of the historic livestock industry's tradition. Darwin Show Day is also a regional holiday in July for the Darwin metropolitan area.

Fair Work Entitlements on Public Holidays

Under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), the rules for public holidays are:

Right to be absent: Employees are entitled to be absent from work on a day that is a public holiday in the state or territory where they are based.
Paid leave: Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to their ordinary pay for their normal hours on public holidays they would otherwise have worked.
Working on a public holiday: Employers may request an employee to work on a public holiday if the request is reasonable. Employees may refuse on reasonable grounds.
Penalty rates: If an employee works on a public holiday, they are entitled to penalty rates as specified in their Modern Award or Enterprise Agreement — typically double time or double time and a half.
Casual employees: Casuals are entitled to penalty rates if rostered on a public holiday but are not entitled to a paid day off.

Specific entitlements are set by the relevant Modern Award. Always check your Award or Enterprise Agreement for the precise rates.

Calculate Business Days Around Public Holidays

Our Business Days Calculator accounts for public holidays in your state when counting working days between two dates.

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Authoritative External References

Public Holidays — Employee Entitlements — Fair Work Australia
Fair Work Act 2009 — Division 10, Public Holidays — Australian Government
Public Holidays for Business — Business.gov.au
Modern Awards List — Penalty Rates — Fair Work Commission
Australia Public Holidays 2026 — TimeAndDate.com

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the national public holidays in Australia?

Australia has 8 nationally observed public holidays: New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, ANZAC Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and in some states Easter Saturday. All are set under state and territory legislation.

Do public holiday entitlements differ by state?

Yes. Core holidays are shared, but the King's Birthday, Easter Saturday, and various show days differ by state. Always check your state government's official list.

What are employees entitled to on public holidays?

Under the Fair Work Act 2009, most employees are entitled to a paid day off. If required to work, they receive penalty rates (typically double time or double time and a half) as per their Award or Enterprise Agreement.

What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend?

Most states substitute the following Monday as the observed public holiday. For example, if ANZAC Day (25 April) falls on a Saturday, the Monday 27 April is typically observed as the public holiday.

Is Easter Saturday a public holiday everywhere in Australia?

No. Easter Saturday is a public holiday in ACT, NSW, SA, and Tasmania only. It is not a public holiday in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, or the Northern Territory.

When is the next public holiday in Australia?

From 20 February 2026, the next national public holiday is Easter Friday (Good Friday, 3 April 2026). Use the finder above for your state's specific next holiday.