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 5 October - Labour Day
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Saturday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Monday 28 December - Additional public holiday for Boxing Day
New South Wales
- Monday 5 October - Labour Day
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Saturday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Monday 28 December - Additional public holiday for Boxing Day
Northern Territory
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Thursday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
- Monday 28 December - Boxing Day (substitute day as Boxing Day falls on a weekend)
- Thursday 31 December – New Year’s Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
Queensland
- Monday 5 October - Queen's Birthday
- Thursday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 6pm to midnight)
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Saturday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Monday 28 December - Additional public holiday for Boxing Day
South Australia
- Monday 5 October - Labour Day
- Thursday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Monday 28 December - Boxing Day/Proclamation Day (substitute day as Boxing Day falls on a Saturday)
- Thursday 31 December - New Year's Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
Tasmania
- Monday 2 November - Recreation Day (all parts of the state which do not observe Royal Hobart Regatta)
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Monday 28 December - Boxing Day (substitute day as Boxing Day falls on a weekend)
Victoria
- Friday 23 October - Friday before the AFL Grand Final
- Tuesday 3 November - Melbourne Cup
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Saturday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Monday 28 December - Additional public holiday for Boxing Day
Western Australia
- Monday 28 September - Queen's Birthday (Some regional areas in WA hold the Queen's Birthday public holiday on a different date)
- Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
- Saturday 26 December - Boxing Day
- Monday 28 December - Additional public holiday for Boxing 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.
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