Australian Public Holidays 2026

Australia's public holiday system is governed by a combination of federal legislation and individual state and territory laws, which means the holidays you receive depend on where you work. At the national level, the Fair Work Act 2009 establishes eight national public holidays that all employees are entitled to. Each state and territory then adds its own gazetted public holidays on top of these, resulting in a total that typically ranges from ten to thirteen paid days off per year depending on your location.

The eight national public holidays in 2026 are New Year's Day (Thursday, January 1), Australia Day (Monday, January 26), Good Friday (Friday, April 3), Saturday before Easter Sunday (Saturday, April 4), Easter Monday (Monday, April 6), Anzac Day (Saturday, April 25), Queen's Birthday (date varies by state, typically the second Monday of June in most states), and Christmas Day (Friday, December 25). Boxing Day (Saturday, December 26) is also widely observed, with a substitute Monday holiday on December 28 in most jurisdictions because it falls on a weekend.

For workers paid on a fortnightly cycle, which is one of the most common pay frequencies in Australia, public holidays can shift your pay date forward. Australian banks and the Reserve Bank of Australia do not process bulk electronic payments on public holidays. If your fortnightly payday lands on a public holiday, your employer will generally arrange for payment to be processed one business day earlier so the funds clear in your bank account before the holiday. This is particularly relevant around the Easter period when Good Friday, the Saturday before Easter, and Easter Monday create a four-day break that can push payroll processing back to the preceding Thursday.

The Christmas and New Year period is another critical time for payroll. In 2026, Christmas Day falls on a Friday, meaning many workplaces will shut down from Friday, December 25 through to the following week. With Boxing Day on Saturday (substitute Monday, December 28) and New Year's Day on Thursday, January 1, there are very few business days for payroll processing in late December. Workers who are normally paid in the last week of December should expect their employers to process pay early, potentially before December 24.

State-specific holidays add further complexity. Victoria observes Melbourne Cup Day on the first Tuesday in November for the metropolitan area. The Australian Capital Territory has Canberra Day in March, Reconciliation Day in May, and Family and Community Day in September. Queensland and Western Australia observe the Queen's Birthday on different dates from the rest of the country. If you work for an organization with offices in multiple states, it is important to understand that different employees may have different holiday entitlements depending on their work location. Use our calculator below to map your fortnightly or weekly pay schedule against all 2026 Australian public holidays relevant to your state.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many national public holidays does Australia have in 2026?

Australia has eight national public holidays in 2026 that are observed across all states and territories: New Year's Day (January 1), Australia Day (January 26), Good Friday (April 3), Saturday before Easter Sunday (April 4), Easter Monday (April 6), Anzac Day (April 25), Queen's Birthday (date varies by state), and Christmas Day (December 25). Boxing Day (December 26) is also observed nationally in most jurisdictions. In addition to these national holidays, each state and territory declares its own additional public holidays, such as Melbourne Cup Day in Victoria, Recreation Day in northern Tasmania, and Royal Queensland Show in Brisbane. The total number of public holidays an Australian worker receives ranges from about ten to thirteen depending on their state or territory.

What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend in Australia?

In Australia, when a national public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, a substitute day is generally declared on the following Monday, or on the next available weekday if Monday is already a holiday. This is governed by federal and state legislation to ensure that workers do not lose a day of leave simply because the holiday fell on a non-working day. For example, if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is typically declared the substitute public holiday, and if Boxing Day also falls on a Sunday, Tuesday becomes the substitute day for Boxing Day. This substitute-day rule is important for payroll because banks and financial clearing systems operate on business days only, meaning a substitute Monday holiday will delay pay processing just as the original holiday would have.

Does Anzac Day get a substitute day in 2026?

In 2026, Anzac Day falls on Saturday, April 25. Whether a substitute public holiday is granted depends on the state or territory. Under the Fair Work Act, Anzac Day is always observed on April 25 regardless of which day of the week it falls on. However, most states do not provide a substitute Monday when Anzac Day falls on a Saturday, unlike other public holidays. The exceptions vary: some states such as Western Australia and the ACT may grant a substitute Monday for Anzac Day when it falls on a Saturday, while others such as New South Wales and Victoria do not. Workers should check their specific state or territory legislation and their applicable modern award or enterprise agreement to confirm whether they receive a substitute day off in 2026.

Are public holidays the same in every Australian state?

No, public holidays differ across Australian states and territories. While the eight national public holidays are observed everywhere, each state and territory adds its own additional holidays. The Queen's Birthday holiday is a national holiday but is observed on different dates depending on the state: most states celebrate it on the second Monday of June, while Western Australia and Queensland hold it on different dates entirely. Victoria has Melbourne Cup Day as a public holiday for the metropolitan area, while the ACT observes Canberra Day, Family and Community Day, and Reconciliation Day. Tasmania splits some holidays between the north and south of the state, with Recreation Day observed in the north instead of Royal Hobart Regatta in the south. These differences are important for employers operating across multiple states, as payroll obligations for penalty rates and leave entitlements change depending on which holidays apply in each location.

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