Here is the complete guide to public holidays in Australia 2026, set nationally for the big occasions — New Year, Australia Day, Easter, Anzac Day, Christmas and Boxing Day — with each state and territory adding its own extras on different dates. This guide covers the national days everyone shares, explains how substitute days work when holidays land on weekends, and flags the state variations to watch for.
National public holidays in Australia, 2026
- Thursday, 1 January — New Year’s Day
- Monday, 26 January — Australia Day
- Friday, 3 April — Good Friday
- Saturday, 4 April — Easter Saturday (public holiday in most states)
- Sunday, 5 April — Easter Sunday (public holiday in most states)
- Monday, 6 April — Easter Monday
- Saturday, 25 April — Anzac Day
- Friday, 25 December — Christmas Day
- Saturday, 26 December — Boxing Day
- Monday, 28 December — Boxing Day (substitute day, where applicable)
State and territory extras
Beyond the national list, states add their own: Labour Day falls in March in Western Australia and Victoria but October in Queensland and South Australia; the King’s Birthday is observed on different dates; and there are uniquely local days such as Melbourne Cup Day (first Tuesday of November, Victoria) and the Royal Queensland Show day in Brisbane. If you are planning around a specific state, check its official calendar — the national list alone will miss several local days off, and they differ more than visitors expect.
Substitute days in 2026
When Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a weekend, an additional weekday holiday is declared. In 2026, Boxing Day (26 December) lands on a Saturday, so Monday 28 December serves as the substitute day in the states that observe it. Anzac Day (25 April) falls on a Saturday as well; it is a solemn day of remembrance with dawn services nationwide, and some states add a substitute weekday while others do not — check your state’s rules rather than assuming.
What the big days feel like
Australia Day (26 January) arrives in peak summer: barbecues, citizenship ceremonies, cricket and waterfront festivals. Anzac Day dawn services — honouring those who served — are among the country’s most moving traditions, followed by marches and the traditional game of two-up. Easter (3–6 April) marks the start of autumn and the great camping weekend. Christmas, deep in summer, flips northern-hemisphere expectations: beach barbecues, prawns and mangoes instead of roasts, with the Sydney to Hobart yacht race starting on Boxing Day.
The great summer shutdown
The Christmas–New Year period is Australia’s national pause — many businesses close between Christmas and early January, cities quieten, and beaches and campgrounds fill. In 2026 the stretch runs Friday 25 December through the weekend, with the substitute Boxing Day on Monday 28 December extending it. It is the most expensive week of the year for domestic travel, so book flights and accommodation months ahead. For workers, adding leave days around New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January) stretches the break beautifully.
Planning note: Australia Day on Monday 26 January and the Easter weekend (3–6 April) are the two busiest domestic travel periods of the first half of 2026 — lock in flights and campsites early, as prices climb steeply in the final weeks.
Planning tips
Before you plan around a holiday, check three things: the official date for your country or region, whether a weekend holiday is carried over to a weekday, and which services stay open. Banks, schools, government offices and public transport often follow different timetables, so a quick check saves a wasted trip.
Use this guide as a starting point, compare it with the official source for your location and check again closer to the date, since announcements and local arrangements can change. Sharing the dates early with family, colleagues and customers also avoids last-minute surprises.