Who doesn’t love a day off work? If you’re wondering when the public holidays in Australia are, this roundup reveals exactly when Aussies take a break throughout the year. There are seven nationally gazetted holidays in total, plus most people in each state or territory enjoy a few extra public holidays on the calendar – generally around three. This might be for Labour Day or the King’s Birthday, for example, whose dates vary across the country. Or it could be for a regional festival or exhibition (known as a “show”). If you’re travelling, it’s good to keep the following calendar for 2026 in mind, as these days (and the weekends around them, in particular) are very busy for flights, transport and accommodation.
National Public Holidays in Australia
# New Year’s Day (1 January)
# Australia Day (26 January)
The official national day of Australia Day marks the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet and raising of the British flag at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip. The significance of the day and the date of the celebration has long been debated. This debate continues today, with many Indigenous Australians and supporters characterising the day as one of mourning for the start of forcible occupation of the country.
# Good Friday (3 April 2026)
# Easter Sunday (4 April 2026)
Easter Saturday is also an official gazetted public holiday in some states and territories.
# Anzac Day (25 April)
This national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand is to commemorate all of those from the two countries who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping missions. The day was established initially to honour the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli campaign of World War I (1914-1918).
# Christmas Day (25 December)
# Boxing Day (26 December)
Also a holiday in the UK and some Commonwealth countries, Boxing Day is celebrated on the day after Christmas. The origins of the name have been debated. It may relate to the alms box placed in a church to collect money for the poor. Or, more simply, it could refer to the box that gifts are placed in and wrapped. Two prominent Australian sporting events on the day are the Boxing Day Test (a cricket match) and the Sydney to Hobart (a sailing regatta).
Note that for a few of these public holidays in Australia, if they happen to fall on weekend in a particular year, the following Monday is given as the holiday instead.
Other public holidays in states and territories
Here’s a list of the other public holidays in Australia, which are managed by the individual state and territory governments.
Australian Capital Territory
- Monday, 9 March 2026: Canberra Day
- Monday, 1 June 2026: Reconciliation Day
- Monday, 8 June 2026: King’s Birthday
- Monday, 5 October 2026: Labour Day
Reconciliation Day is only a public holiday in the ACT. It marks the start of National Reconciliation Week, commemorating the 1967 referendum for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Since 2018, it has been held on the first Monday after or on 27 May, the anniversary of the referendum.
New South Wales
- Monday, 8 June 2026: King’s Birthday
- Monday, 5 October 2026: Labour Day
Like most states and territories, some regional areas of New South Wales also get a public holiday to tie in with their district’s annual agricultural, horticultural or industrial exhibition. (This is generally referred to as a “show” in Australia.)
Queensland
- Monday, 4 May 2026: Labour Day
- Monday, 5 October 2026: King’s Birthday
The Royal Queensland Show (colloquially known as “The Ekka” – short for “exhibition”) is held in the middle of August. It includes a public holiday for Brisbane only on the Wednesday of the week-long festival. Other regional areas of Queensland get a different public holiday for their show date.
Northern Territory
- Monday, 4 May 2026: May Day
- Monday, 8 June 2026: King’s Birthday
- Monday, 3 August 2026: Picnic Day
The Northern Territory communities of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Darwin and Borroloola each have an additional public holiday on the day of their annual regional show. Most of these are in July, except in the remote town of Borroloola, whose Show Day is in October.
South Australia
- Monday, 9 March 2026: Adelaide Cup Day
- Monday, 8 June 2026: King’s Birthday
- Monday, 5 October 2026: Labour Day
Major horse racing events are also public holidays in several places in Australia, including in South Australia for the Adelaide Cup. The state-wide holiday is on the second Monday in March each year.
Tasmania
- Monday, 9 March 2026: Eight Hours Day (Labour Day)
In Tasmania, at least seven towns or regions also have a Show Day holiday, including Hobart, Launceston, King Island, Flinders Island and Devonport. Tasmania also holds some prominent horseracing events – for example in Devonport and Launceston – that include a “public service” holiday (not a full public holiday) in those places.
Tasmania also has a few quirky aspects to its public holiday calendar. It is the only state or territory of Australia where Easter Tuesday is a registered public holiday, though it is generally only taken by those in the public service. And Labour Day in Tassie is known as “Eight Hours Day”, commemorating a 19th-century agreement whereby stonemasons were granted reduced working hours.
Victoria
- Monday, 9 March 2026: Labour Day
- Monday, 8 June 2026: King’s Birthday
- Friday, 25 September 2026: AFL Grand Final Friday
- Tuesday, 3 November 2026: Melbourne Cup Day
The AFL Grand Final holiday is a relatively new public holiday in Victoria that coincides with the Grand Final of the country’s national Australian rules football competition, the Australian Football League (AFL).
Western Australia
- Monday, 2 March 2026: Labour Day
- Monday, 1 June 2026: Western Australia Day
- Monday, 28 September 2026: King’s Birthday
Some regional areas in WA celebrate the King’s Birthday Public Holiday on a different date to Perth and the rest of the state.
Enjoy planning your holiday time around these days off!
Found this useful? Take advantage of a long weekend to try one of the routes from our list of Australia’s best road trips!
