I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains. Of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains.
Dorothea Mackellar, My Country
Some countries have special days - or, dedicate entire months, to a particular cause. For instance, June 14 (Flag Day), celebrates the day the United States adopted their flag (in 1777). Some religions mark momentous occasions with special events, too: Diwali, Ramadan, and Lent, for example.
By contrast, other nations observe the bare number of significant national events. China's Spring Festival and National Holiday are the only two officially recognised observations, for example. In Australia, we strike a happy balance, with our seven national commemorations. Eight, if you count Easter and Easter Monday separately.
| 🎉 Holiday | 📅 Date |
|---|---|
| New Years Day | Wed - Jan 1 2025 |
| Australia Day | Sun - January 26 2025 |
| Good Friday | Fri - 18 Apr 2025 |
| Easter Easter Monday | Sun - 20 Apr 2025 Mon - 21 Apr 2025 |
| Anzac Day | Fri - 25 Apr 2025 |
| Christmas Day | Thu - 25 Dec 2025 |
| Boxing Day Proclamation Day (South Australia) | Fri - 26 Dec 2025 |
🎆 National Holidays in Australia
You might note from our chart that three of the seven/eight public holidays have their roots in religion. One might grant the days after Easter and Christmas their religious origins, too. Thus, we might conclude that our national holiday list is more religious than secular.
Our holidays make a curious contrast with our Constitutional declaration of no established religion. Furthermore, according to available census data, just under 40% of today's Australians are secular.
However, that wasn't always the case. In our country's early days, almost everybody was religious. Establishing Christian celebrations as national holidays dates to the First Fleet landing and settlement. While shaping our government structures, our ancestors decided to keep those observances on the calendar.
Besides those seven nationally recognised public holidays, all Australian states observe locally important holidays. Also, some states have partial holidays. For instance, Christmas Eve is a partial holiday in three states. Other states have holidays reserved for certain populations.
Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have the most public holidays, with 13 apiece.
That begs the question: which state has the fewest public holidays? Tasmania is your answer. With its nine public holidays 2025, it is the stingiest of our states, in this regard.
Several Australian historical films tell the stories behind our country's most meaningful holidays. That catalogue reaches far back into the Silent Era. Now, let's explore each state's calendar, to see which holidays everyone enjoys beyond the Standard Seven.
🏉 Victoria Public Holidays 2025
The state of Victoria, with its generous list of public holidays, reflects Aussies' fun-loving spirit. They don't have to wait too long after Australia Day for this next celebration. Victoria's Labour Day observance is a 'floating' holiday, it falls on the second Monday in March.
Good Friday/Easter are the next holidays on Victoria's calendar. They float too so, depending on when the Easter break falls, Victorians might have just a week or two between holidays.
This state's next holiday, the King's Birthday, is also on a second Monday, this time in June. And then, they must wait almost three months for their next day to celebrate. This time, they party for the Australian Grand League Final. This celebration typically takes place at the end of September/beginning of October, depending on the game schedule.
The final Victoria-only holiday celebrates the Melbourne Cup, the Group I thoroughbred horse race. The date for it is the first Tuesday in November. Note that this observance may take a different name and date, depending on location. For instance, Geelong residents will celebrate the Geelong Cup, rather than the Melbourne Cup.
| 🎉 Additional holidays in Victoria | 📆 2025 date |
|---|---|
| Labour Day | March 10 |
| Easter Saturday | April 19 |
| King's Birthday | June 9 |
| Australian Football League Grand Final Celebration | Either September 26 or October 3 |
| Melbourne Cup | November 4 |
🦘 NSW Public Holidays 2025
Like Victoria, New South Wales grants its people Easter Saturday and the King's Birthday as holidays. In fact, NSW adopted the same day for the King's Birthday: the second Monday in June.
However, rather than observe Labour Day in Autumn, as Victoria does, NSW marks the day in the Spring. On the first Monday in October, workers get the day off, in appreciation of their efforts.
Naturally, Australia Day celebrations are the most expansive in Sydney. That's where the first Europeans established themselves. Sydney's Australia Day events are also the most inclusive, though every state and territory makes sure to honour our Indigenous Peoples.
| 🎉 Additional holidays in NSW | 📆 2025 Date |
|---|---|
| Easter Saturday | April 19 |
| The King's Birthday | June 9 |
| Labour Day | October 6 |
⚔ ACT Public Holidays 2025
The second Monday in March is a holiday in many states, but the ACT observes Canberra Day on that date. This holiday celebrates the naming of our capital city, in 1903.
Besides granting its workforce Easter Saturday as a local holiday, the ACT celebrates the King's Birthday, in tandem with NSW. One more holiday unique to ACT: Reconciliation Day. It falls on May 27, or the first Monday after that date. This holiday recognises Indigenous history and culture.
In our capital, Anzac Day observances are particularly stirring. Ceremonies held at our War Memorial are broadcast across the nation, and special commemorations are held each year.
| 🎉 Additional ACT Holidays | 📆 2025 date |
|---|---|
| Canberra Day | 10 March |
| Easter Saturday | 19 March |
| Reconciliation Day | 27 May |
| King's Birthday | 9 June |
| Labour Day | 6 October |
🐣 QLD Public Holiday 2025
In Queensland, people celebrate the Day After Good Friday, rather than Easter Saturday. And, this is the only state to observe Labour Day in May. Here, workers get the first Monday of that month off, in recognition of their work.
On the same day that ACT and NSW celebrate Labour Day, the first Monday in October, Queensland observes the King's Birthday.
In this state, Christmas Eve is a partial holiday, starting at 6 PM. Officially, the holiday is only six hours, ending at midnight. However, as it runs into the Christmas holiday, nobody complains about how short this partial holiday is.
Finally, Brisbanites enjoy a holiday nobody else in Queensland does: the Royal Queensland Show. Better known as the Ekka, this exposition takes place on the first Wednesday after 9 August, at the Brisbane Showgrounds.
| 🎉 Additional Holidays in Queensland | 📆 2025 Date |
|---|---|
| Day After Good Friday | 19 April |
| Labour Day | 5 May |
| Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane only) | 13 August |
| King's Birthday | 6 October |
| Christmas Eve (partial holiday) | 24 December |
🥪 Northern Territory Public Holidays 2025
Remarkably, Easter Sunday is not a recognised holiday in this territory. However, Easter Saturday is and, besides, this territory's residents observe holidays no other state does.
The first Monday in May is May Day, here, a throwback to European traditions. Also, the first Monday in August is Picnic Day, to commemorate railway workers of yore. Today, the Harts Range Races are this holiday's main attraction.
In this state, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are partial holidays. Unlike in Queensland, Christmas Eve here begins at 7 PM. So does the New Year's Eve holiday.
| 🎉 Additional Holidays in Northern Territory | 📆 2025 date |
|---|---|
| May Day | 5 May |
| King's Birthday | 9 June |
| Picnic Day | 4 August |
| Christmas Eve (partial holiday) | 24 December |
| New Year's Eve (partial holiday) | 31 December |
🎇 WA Public Holidays 2025
This state is the earliest to observe Labour Day, on the first Monday in March. However, it does not grant its citizens the Saturday before Easter as a holiday.
Instead, these revellers enjoy Western Australia Day. They have to wait until the first Monday in June to catch those fireworks, though.
Also, this state waits until September/October to celebrate the King's Birthday. It is the only state with a holiday in that timeframe. Like Tasmania and NSW, Western Australia falls at the meagre end of the holiday list, with only 11 public holidays.
| 🎉 Additional holidays in Western Australia | 📆 2025 Date |
|---|---|
| Labour Day | 3 March |
| Western Australia Day | 2 June |
| King's Birthday | 29 September |
🏇 SA Public Holidays 2025
By contrast, South Australia goes out of its way to be generous, where holidays are concerned. After New Year's Day and Australia Day, these residents look forward to Adelaide Cup Day, which celebrates horse racing. This occasion falls on the second Monday in March.
Like the ACT, NSW, and QLD, this state observes Easter Saturday and the King's Birthday. Here, people observe Labour Day on the first of October, as in those states.
However, instead of Boxing Day, SA's day after Christmas is called Proclamation Day. It commemorates the day the South Australian government was formed.
Besides all these holidays, this state makes Christmas Eve and New Year's Even partial holidays. As in the Northern Territory, these observations begin at 7 PM.
An Idle Thought
Six states make Easter observances a four-day public holiday, including South Australia. It's a perfect occasion for a getaway, as the kids are typically out of school during that time.
| 🎉 Additional holidays in South Australia | 📆 2025 Date |
|---|---|
| Adelaide Cup Day | 10 March |
| Easter Saturday | 19 April |
| King's Birthday | 9 June |
| Labour Day | 6 October |
| Christmas Eve (partial holiday) | 24 December |
| New Year's Eve (partial holiday) | 31 December |
⛵ Tasmania Public Holidays 2025
Finally, we come to the state with the shortest list of public holidays. We might generously extend its 9 holidays by including 'limited' holidays; celebrations that apply only to certain populations. For instance, the Royal Hobart Regatta (second Monday in February) is reserved for Hobart residents.
However, this state's calendar includes Recreation Day and Easter Tuesday. The latter holiday is generally only for government employees. Recreation Day is for everyone except for Hobart residents, to make up for their missing out on the Regatta holiday. It falls on the first Monday in November.
Tasmanians observe a holiday called Eight-Hour Day. The Eight-Hour Movement intended to limit the workday to that number of hours on the clock. The observance has its roots in the Australian Gold Rush Era of the 1850s. This is the only state with such a holiday.
This state recognises neither Easter Saturday, nor Sunday. However, Tasmania is a fine example of the Australian Christmas celebration done well.
Hobart puts on a lovely pageant, and other Tasmanian cities host Christmas events, too. Besides all that, who could pass up a chance to party after the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, two days after Christmas?
| 🎉 Additional holidays in Tasmania | 📆 2025 Date |
|---|---|
| Royal Hobart Regatta (Hobart only) | 10 February |
| Eight Hours Day | 10 March |
| Easter Tuesday (typically for government workers) | 22 April |
| King's Birthday | 9 June |
| Recreation Day (for all but Hobart) | 3 November |
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
