How Public Holidays Work in Australia
Australia has 7 holidays observed in every state and territory, plus the monarch's birthday in most states. Weekend holidays generally move to the following Monday.
Labour Day falls on different dates in each state, Easter Saturday and Sunday are holidays in some states, Queensland and Western Australia observe the King's Birthday in spring, and states add days such as Melbourne Cup Day (Victoria).
All Australia Holidays in 2016
| Date | Holiday | About |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Jan 1 | New Year's Day | First day of the year, usually spent at summer barbecues and the beach. |
| Tue, Jan 26 | Australia Day | Marks the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. Many First Nations people observe it as Invasion Day or Survival Day. |
| Fri, Mar 25 | Good Friday | The Friday before Easter, falling in autumn in Australia. |
| Mon, Mar 28 | Easter Monday | The Monday after Easter Sunday. |
| Mon, Apr 25 | ANZAC Day | Remembers Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in war, with dawn services and marches. |
| Mon, Jun 13 | Queen's BirthdayNot nationwide | Second Monday of June in most states (not WA or QLD). |
| Sun, Dec 25day off Tue, Dec 27 | Christmas Day | A summer Christmas, often with seafood, pavlova, and outdoor gatherings. |
| Mon, Dec 26 | Boxing Day | Start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and the Boxing Day Test cricket match. |
Click a date to see it on the monthly calendar.
Long Weekends in 2016
- New Year's Day Jan 1 – Jan 3 · 3 days
- Australia Day bridge day: take Mon, Jan 25 offJan 23 – Jan 26 · 4 days
- Good Friday & Easter Monday Mar 25 – Mar 28 · 4 days
- ANZAC Day Apr 23 – Apr 25 · 3 days
- Boxing Day & Christmas Day Dec 24 – Dec 27 · 4 days
With 1 vacation day on the bridge days above you get 4 days off in total.
Plan 2016 Around These Holidays
Add your vacation and bridge days to a calendar, then export it as a printable PDF. For the full year at a glance see the 2016 calendar.
Open Calendar Builder