Australia Public Holidays 2026: States That Differ
Ask two Australians to list the australia public holidays and you'll get two different answers. That's not a trivia quirk, it's how the country works: seven dates are national, and everything else depends on which state or territory you're in. This guide sorts the 2026 calendar into what everyone gets and what's local, so you can plan time off without guessing.
The 7 national holidays everyone gets
These apply in every state and territory, no matter where you work:
- New Year's Day — Jan 1 (Thursday)
- Australia Day — Jan 26 (Monday)
- Good Friday — Apr 3
- Easter Monday — Apr 6
- Anzac Day — Apr 25 (Saturday)
- Christmas Day — Dec 25 (Friday)
- Boxing Day — Dec 26 (Saturday)
That's the whole national list. Everything else you see on an Australian calendar — Labour Day, King's Birthday, Melbourne Cup — is a state decision.
The state layer: where the real differences are
Each state and territory adds its own holidays on top of the national seven. The table below lists the big ones with their 2026 dates:
| State / Territory | Extra holidays (2026) |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Bank Holiday (Aug 3), Labour Day (Oct 5) |
| Victoria | Labour Day (Mar 9), Melbourne Cup Day (Nov 3) |
| Queensland | Labour Day (May 4), King's Birthday (Oct 5) |
| Western Australia | Labour Day (Mar 2), WA Day (Jun 1), King's Birthday (Sep 28) |
| South Australia | Adelaide Cup (Mar 9), Labour Day (Oct 5), Proclamation Day (Dec 28 observed) |
| Tasmania | Eight Hours Day (Mar 9), King's Birthday (Jun 8), Recreation Day (Nov 2) |
| ACT | Canberra Day (Mar 9), Reconciliation Day (Apr 27), Labour Day (Oct 5) |
| Northern Territory | May Day (May 4), Picnic Day (Aug 3) |
Notice how the first Monday of March is a holiday in WA while the second Monday is one in Victoria and Tasmania. That one-week offset is exactly the kind of thing that trips up cross-state planning.
When a holiday lands on a weekend
2026 has two awkward ones: Anzac Day falls on Saturday Apr 25, and Boxing Day on Saturday Dec 26. Most states observe a substitute day on the next Monday (Apr 27 and Dec 28), but the rules vary — Tasmania and Queensland treat Anzac Day differently, so check your state before booking anything. The general rule across the country: fixed-date holidays shift to the nearest weekday so workers still get the day off.
Plan around australian holidays by state
If you work across NSW and Victoria, you're juggling two different Labour Days (Oct 5 vs Mar 9). The practical fix is to keep one calendar per state and treat the intersection of everyone's holidays as your real working days. For long weekends, the easiest wins come from national dates that happen to land on Fridays or Mondays — 2026 is a good year for that, with Australia Day, Good Friday, and Christmas all on or near weekends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Australia have in total? Seven national ones, plus 4-8 state-specific. Victoria typically sees 13, while WA can reach 14 in a good year.
Which states get a holiday for the Melbourne Cup? Victoria only, on the first Tuesday of November — the rest of the country watches it during working hours.
Is Easter Monday a public holiday in Australia? Yes, it's one of the seven national dates, so you get the day off across the country.
Do all states observe the King's Birthday on the same day? No. Most of the eastern states use the second Monday of June (Jun 8 in 2026), but Queensland celebrates in October and Western Australia in late September.
See the full Australia public holidays 2026 calendar on PubHoliday, or browse the homepage to sync any country's holidays to your calendar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Australia have?
7 national holidays (New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day) plus 4-8 state or territory-specific ones. Victoria has 13 total in a typical year, WA can reach 14.
Which Australian public holidays are nationwide?
New Year's Day (Jan 1), Australia Day (Jan 26), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day (Apr 25), Christmas Day (Dec 25), and Boxing Day (Dec 26). Everything else is legislated by individual states.
Why do Australian states have different holidays?
Public holiday legislation is a state matter in Australia. Each parliament sets its own Labour Day date, King's Birthday, and local events like Melbourne Cup Day, which is why NSW and Queensland look so different.
Is Melbourne Cup Day a public holiday?
Yes, in Victoria. The first Tuesday of November is a public holiday across Melbourne and parts of the state, though some regional areas observe it differently.