Public holidays
Public holidays can be different depending on the state or territory you work in.
It's important to know when public holidays are because employees can get different entitlements on these days.
You can calculate these entitlements using our Pay Calculator.
Go to our List of public holidays page for a full list of public holidays in your state or territory.
Public holidays coming up in the next few months in your state or territory include:
Australian Capital Territory
- Monday 1 October - Labour Day
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
New South Wales
- Monday 1 October - Labour Day
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
Northern Territory
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
Queensland
- Monday 1 October - Queen's Birthday
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
South Australia
- Monday 1 October - Labour Day
- Monday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day/Proclamation Day
- Monday 31 December - New Year's Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
Tasmania
- Monday 5 November - Recreation Day (all parts of the state which do not observe Royal Hobart Regatta)
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
Victoria
- Friday 28 September - Friday before AFL Grand Final
- Tuesday 6 November - Melbourne Cup (all of Victoria is entitled to Melbourne Cup public holiday unless a different local holiday has been declared for non-metropolitan areas)
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
Western Australia
- Monday 24 September - Queen's Birthday (Some regional areas in WA hold the Queen's Birthday public holiday on a different date)
- Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Tuesday 1 January 2019 - New Year's Day
Working outside your state or region on a public holiday
An employee is entitled to public holidays depending on 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. As Cass's base of employment is Melbourne, she is entitled to the public holiday entitlements for that day, even though it is not a public holiday where she is physically working.
Want to save this information for later?
If you might need to read this information again, save it for later so you can access it quickly and easily.
You might also be interested in
Page reference No: 1904