Public holidays
Public holidays can be different depending on the state or territory you work in.
Find recent and upcoming public holidays in your state or territory below.
On this page:
- Video: Public holidays
- About public holidays
- Upcoming 2023 public holidays
- Working outside your state or region on a public holiday
- Tools and resources
- Related information
Video: Public holidays
Watch our short video to learn about:
- working or not working on a public holiday
- when an employer can ask an employee to work a public holiday
- refusing an employer’s requests to a work a public holiday.
About public holidays
It's important to know when public holidays fall each year because different pay and entitlements can apply on these days.
All employees have a right to be absent from work on a public holiday. Learn more at Not working on public holidays.
Calculating public holiday rates
You can calculate pay and entitlements using our Pay and Conditions Tool.
Working a public holiday
Learn more about workplace entitlements for working a public holiday, including:
- extra pay (for example, public holiday rates)
- taking an extra day off
- minimum shift lengths.
Go to Public holiday penalty rates.
Not working a public holiday
Find out about entitlements and responsibilities for not working a public holiday, including:
- the right not to work on a public holiday
- pay
- leave (such as during a period of paid leave).
Go to Not working on public holidays.
Upcoming 2023 public holidays
Below are the public holidays over the next few months in each state and territory.
Go to our 2023 Public holidays page for a full list of public holidays in your state or territory this year.
Australian Capital Territory
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
New South Wales
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
Northern Territory
- Sunday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Sunday 31 December - New Year's Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
Queensland
- Sunday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 6pm to midnight)
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
South Australia
- Sunday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day/Proclamation Day
- Sunday 31 December - New Year's Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
Tasmania
- Monday 6 November - Recreation Day (all parts of the state which do not observe Royal Hobart Regatta)
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
Victoria
- Tuesday 7 November - Melbourne Cup
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
Western Australia
- Monday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day
Working outside your state or region on a public holiday
An employee is entitled to the public holidays that fall where they are based for work, not where they are working on the day of the public holiday.
Example: Employee working outside their state on a day that is a public holiday
Cass is an employee of a business located in Melbourne. She has been sent to Sydney to perform work during November. During her interstate visit, the Melbourne Cup public holiday is observed in Melbourne. As Cass's job is based in Melbourne, she's entitled to her public holiday entitlements that day, even though there isn't a public holiday where she is physically working in Sydney.