Also on Bank Holidays UK: UK Long Weekends 2026 — Bank Holiday Planner · Easter Bank Holiday 2026 — Long Weekend Dates · St Andrew’s Day — Scottish Bank Holiday
Australia is one of the most rewarding long-haul trips a British traveller can make, but its public holidays work very differently from UK bank holidays. Only seven holidays are observed nationwide; almost everything else is decided state by state, so the calendar in Sydney can look quite unlike the one in Perth or Hobart. And because the seasons are flipped, Christmas and Boxing Day fall in the height of summer. This guide sets out every national public holiday in Australia in 2026, explains the big state-by-state differences, and shows UK visitors how to plan around them.
Public Holidays in Australia 2026 — Full List
The table below lists the seven national public holidays observed in every state and territory, plus the most important state-only dates UK travellers are likely to bump into. Where a holiday falls on a weekend, most (but not all) states grant a substitute day on the following Monday.
| Date | Holiday | Observed in | Type | Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year’s Day | Nationwide | National | Thursday |
| 26 January | Australia Day | Nationwide | National | Monday |
| 2 March | Labour Day | WA | State | Monday |
| 9 March | Labour Day / Canberra Day / Adelaide Cup / Eight Hours Day | VIC, ACT, SA, TAS | State | Monday |
| 3 April | Good Friday | Nationwide | National | Friday |
| 4 April | Easter Saturday | All except WA | State | Saturday |
| 6 April | Easter Monday | Nationwide | National | Monday |
| 25 April | Anzac Day | Nationwide | National | Saturday |
| 27 April | Anzac Day (additional) | NSW, ACT, WA | State | Monday |
| 8 June | King’s Birthday | Most states (not QLD/WA) | State | Monday |
| 28 September | King’s Birthday (WA) | WA | State | Monday |
| 5 October | Labour Day / King’s Birthday | NSW, ACT, SA (Labour); QLD (King’s) | State | Monday |
| 3 November | Melbourne Cup Day | VIC (Melbourne metro) | State | Tuesday |
| 25 December | Christmas Day | Nationwide | National | Friday |
| 26 December | Boxing Day | Nationwide | National | Saturday |
| 28 December | Boxing Day (observed) | Most states | National (substitute) | Monday |
Abbreviations: NSW (New South Wales), VIC (Victoria), QLD (Queensland), SA (South Australia), WA (Western Australia), TAS (Tasmania), NT (Northern Territory), ACT (Australian Capital Territory). State holidays vary; this list highlights the dates most relevant to visitors and is not exhaustive of every regional show day.
Long Weekends in Australia 2026
Where the three- and four-day breaks fall in 2026:
Australia Day weekend (24–26 January): Australia Day lands on Monday 26 January, giving the whole country a guaranteed three-day weekend in peak summer — expect packed beaches and busy domestic flights.
Easter (3–6 April): with Good Friday and Easter Monday both national, every state enjoys a four-day Easter break, the single biggest domestic travel weekend of the year.
Anzac Day (25–27 April): Anzac Day falls on a Saturday, so New South Wales, the ACT and Western Australia add Monday 27 April for a three-day weekend.
King’s Birthday (8 June): a Monday long weekend across most states (Queensland and WA hold theirs on different dates). Just like UK bank holidays, these Monday breaks send prices and crowds upward.
What’s Open and Closed on Public Holidays
On national public holidays — especially Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning — expect the quietest trading of the year. Banks close on all gazetted public holidays, though ATMs and online banking work as normal. Supermarkets and most shops shut on Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day until 1pm; on other public holidays, trading hours vary by state and many large centres open with reduced hours.
Restaurants, cafés and bars generally stay open, but a public-holiday surcharge of 10–15% is common and entirely legal in Australia — it will be noted on the menu. Museums, galleries and major attractions usually close on Christmas Day and Good Friday but open on most other holidays, often busier than usual. Public transport typically runs to a Sunday or holiday timetable, and some cities offer cheaper holiday fares.
Travel tip: Anzac Day (25 April) is the one morning to plan around. Dawn services and marches mean many shops, cafés and attractions stay shut until 1pm as a mark of respect. It is a moving experience to attend a dawn service, but do not expect to do much shopping or sightseeing before lunchtime.
How Australia’s Public Holidays Compare with UK Bank Holidays
The headline difference is who decides. In the UK, bank holidays are largely uniform — England and Wales have eight, Scotland nine and Northern Ireland ten — and they apply across each nation. In Australia, only seven holidays are truly national; everything else is set by each state and territory, so the total a worker actually receives ranges from about 10 to 13 depending on where they live.
| Feature | United Kingdom | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Number of holidays | 8–10 (varies by nation) | 7 national + state extras (~10–13 total) |
| Who sets them | Mostly UK-wide / per nation | Each state and territory |
| Christmas season | Winter | Peak summer |
| Weekend substitute days | Yes, standard | Usually, but varies by state |
| Quirky one-offs | None nationally | Melbourne Cup, AFL Grand Final Friday |
If you want the full British picture for comparison, see our guide to the list of UK bank holidays. For a parallel example of a country where holidays are set at state level rather than nationally, our public holidays in the USA guide covers the same federal-versus-state pattern.
Key Cultural Holidays Explained
Australia Day (26 January) marks the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove. It is celebrated with citizenship ceremonies, fireworks and barbecues, but it is also genuinely contested: many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their supporters mark the day as “Invasion Day” or “Survival Day”, and debate about the date continues. Visitors will see both celebration and protest, and it is worth understanding that context.
Anzac Day (25 April) is Australia’s most solemn national day, commemorating the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who landed at Gallipoli in 1915 and all who have served since. Dawn services, the Last Post and marches of veterans take place in towns and cities nationwide — the equivalent in feeling to Remembrance Sunday in the UK, but a full public holiday.
Did you know? The Melbourne Cup (Tuesday 3 November 2026) is the only horse race in the world that doubles as a public holiday. Known as “the race that stops a nation,” it is a full day off across metropolitan Melbourne — and the rest of the country pauses to watch even where it isn’t a holiday.
Planning Your Trip Around Public Holidays
For UK travellers, timing is everything. The window from Christmas through the Australia Day long weekend is the busiest and most expensive of the year, coinciding with school summer holidays — beautiful weather, but book flights and accommodation months ahead. The Easter four-day weekend is the next big squeeze on domestic travel. If you want lower prices and thinner crowds, target the shoulder periods in February–March or May, steering clear of the long weekends.
That said, a well-chosen public holiday can be the highlight of a trip: the Sydney Harbour fireworks at New Year, an Anzac Day dawn service, or the carnival atmosphere of Melbourne Cup week. To lock in the best rates before holiday surcharges bite, it is worth comparing accommodation early on Booking.com and reserving headline experiences and day tours through GetYourGuide. For more ideas on stringing days off into longer breaks, see our guide to long weekends in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Australia have in 2026?
There are seven national public holidays observed everywhere: New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. On top of these, each state and territory adds its own, so most Australians receive between 10 and 13 public holidays in total.
Is Australia Day a public holiday across the whole country in 2026?
Yes. Australia Day on Monday 26 January 2026 is a national public holiday observed in every state and territory, creating a three-day long weekend.
Why does the King’s Birthday fall on different dates?
Because each state sets its own date. Most of Australia observes the King’s Birthday on Monday 8 June 2026, but Queensland holds it in October and Western Australia in late September, often tied to local events.
What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend?
Most states grant a substitute day on the following Monday. In 2026, Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December) is observed on Monday 28 December in most states, and Anzac Day (Saturday 25 April) adds Monday 27 April in NSW, the ACT and WA.
Are shops open on public holidays in Australia?
It depends on the day and the state. Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning see the widest closures, while trading on other public holidays varies — many large shopping centres open with reduced hours. Expect a public-holiday surcharge at cafés and restaurants.
Is Boxing Day a public holiday in Australia?
Yes, Boxing Day (26 December) is a national public holiday. In 2026 it falls on a Saturday, so most states observe an additional holiday on Monday 28 December. It also marks the start of the famous Boxing Day Test cricket and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
When is the best time for a UK visitor to avoid the busiest holidays?
Travel in the shoulder months of February–March or May, avoiding the Christmas–Australia Day peak and the Easter four-day weekend. You will find lower fares, fewer crowds and pleasant weather.
Sources & Last Verified
Australian Government — Fair Work Ombudsman, 2026 Public Holidays
Nager.Date Public Holiday API — Australia 2026
Cross-checked against state and territory government public-holiday listings.
Last verified: 24 June 2026
Author: Bank Holidays UK Editorial Team