A Guide to Public Holidays in Australia & How to Make the Most of Them

In Australia, gaming public holidays for the most amount of leave is as much a part of the national DNA as Vegemite and an unyielding devotion to the Matildas.

A standard annual leave allowance down under stacks up at four weeks This puts us below the five-plus weeks many Europeans enjoy, but far more generous than America where paid leave is dictated by the employer and the standard is between zero (barbaric) and ten days per year. Australia also has around ten public holidays each year, giving us the upper hand when it comes to plotting sneaky long weekends.

We’ve pulled together the nationwide public holiday dates for 2025 and a state-by-state breakdown, because Aussie states love to do their own thing.

Public holidays are prime time for travel; popular hotels fill up fast, flights can spike in price, and you might find yourself indignantly lining up for fish and chips when the entire state seems to have come to the same beach as you. Australia also has some pretty old-timey operating hours during different public holidays which can be shocking to visitors from 24 hour cities. Planning ahead is your secret weapon.

Date: Wednesday, 1 January 2025

What happens: A universal invitation to nurse that post-countdown headache. Expect many cafes and restaurants to be closed or trading at limited hours. If you’re travelling, book early because summer holiday crowds are peaking around then.

Date: Sunday, 26 January 2025 (public holiday observed on Monday, 27 January 2025)

What happens: Barbies, beach cricket, illicit fireworks, this is the day many Aussies get outdoors to celebrate. While there is contention around the date, as it marks the European colonisation of the Indigenous people of Australia, this long weekend is observed across the country.

Date: Friday, 18 April 2025

What happens: In many places, it’s all quiet on the food-and-drink front. Good Friday is famously one of the few days where businesses shut shop, so stock up on essential supplies (read: hot cross buns). Cafes and restaurants can serve alcohol if it's with food but most major alcohol retailers - like BWS and Dan Murphys - will be closed, as are supermarkets.

Date: Monday, 21 April 2025

What happens: Part of the four-day Easter long weekend extravaganza. This Monday is gold for travellers wanting to catch the last whiff of the holiday break before returning to the daily grind as the weather is still quite mild and the crowds aren’t quite as large as the Christmas crush.

Date: Friday, 25 April 2025

What happens: Dawn services and solemn remembrances define this national holiday, but you will also find heaving pubs and games of two-up. In fact, Anzac Day is the only time the game is legal to play outside a casino, a limitation that usually means the first rule of how to play two-up is arguing about how to play two-up. Most shop and many cafes stay open, usually with reduced operating hours.

Date: Thursday, 25 December 2025

What happens: Expect an influx of tourists to Aussie shores, hoping for a summery Christmas. Book your flights and accommodation yesterday. While there has been some traction in restaurants and service stations opening for Christmas Day, it’s generally smart to assume everything will be closed.

Date: Friday, 26 December 2025

What happens: Famous for Boxing Day sales and the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. With Christmas falling on a Thursday and Boxing Day on a Friday, you’ll have a four-day weekend if you include Saturday and Sunday.

• King’s Birthday: Monday, 9 June 2025

• Labour Day: Monday, 6 October 2025

Pro Tip: The Easter long weekend is an extra sweet time for a Sydney city holiday because of the Royal Easter Show. Just remember the Show draws massive crowds, so pre-purchase tickets, plan your transport, and brace yourself for sugar-crazed kids toting show bags everywhere.

• Labour Day: Monday, 10 March 2025

• King’s Birthday: Monday, 9 June 2025

• Friday before the AFL Grand Final: Likely Friday, 26 September 2025 (date to be confirmed)

• Melbourne Cup Day: Tuesday, 4 November 2025 (metro Melbourne; regional areas vary)

Pro Tip: That AFL Grand Final Friday holiday creates a perfect opportunity to soak up Melbourne’s awesome energy with thousands of other footy fans. For those with a sport allergy, use the long weekend to explore the Yarra Valley’s wineries or the Great Ocean Road’s spectacular coastline before the spring crowds arrive in full force.

• Labour Day (Qld): Monday, 5 May 2025

• King’s Birthday (Qld): Monday, 6 October 2025

Pro Tip: If you’re eyeing a trip to the Great Barrier Reef or the Gold Coast theme parks, note that May Day weekend (Labour Day) is insanely popular for Queensland. Book flights and accommodation well ahead of time.

• Adelaide Cup Day: Monday, 10 March 2025

• King’s Birthday / Volunteers' Day: Monday, 9 June 2025

• Labour Day: Monday, 6 October 2025

Pro Tip: Adelaide Cup Day is a great chance to savour the city’s underrated dining scene or pop over to the Barossa Valley. Harvest season for grapes often wraps up around March, so you might still catch the tail end of tasting season.

• Labour Day (WA): Monday, 3 March 2025

• Western Australia Day: Monday, 2 June 2025

• King’s Birthday (WA): Monday, 29 September 2025 (regional variations apply)

Pro Tip: Western Australia Day can be your gateway to epic coastal drives up to Exmouth to see the Ningaloo Reef. Whale sharks start appearing around mid-March to July, so June’s a decent bet for swimming with these gentle giants

• Royal Hobart Regatta: Monday, 10 February 2025 (southern Tasmania)

• Eight Hours Day: Monday, 10 March 2025

• King’s Birthday: Monday, 9 June 2025 (some regional variations)

• Various local show days (e.g. Royal Launceston Show), typically in spring, have their own holidays.

Pro Tip: Get to Cradle Mountain in autumn (March–May) for a burst of colour and crisp air. Easter can be a quieter time of year so you might score a bargain if you don’t mind cooler weather and the occasional drizzle.

• Canberra Day: Monday, 17 March 2025

• Reconciliation Day: Expected Monday, 2 June 2025 (first Monday on or after 27 May)

• King’s Birthday: Monday, 9 June 2025

• Labour Day (ACT): Monday, 6 October 2025

Pro Tip: Sure, some people tease Canberra for being a city of politicians and roundabouts, but it’s the place to be for maximum leave. Reconciliation Day is a fairly new holiday, with cultural events celebrating Indigenous heritage all around the city.

• May Day: Monday, 5 May 2025

• King’s Birthday: Monday, 9 June 2025

• Picnic Day: Monday, 4 August 2025

Pro Tip: Picnic Day in August is a top time to explore Kakadu or Litchfield National Park, since the dry season is in full swing and the humidity is mercifully lower.

Public holidays are like free spin tokens for your annual leave. With a touch of cunning, you can string together mini-holidays. Prime example:

• Good Friday is on 18 April, with Easter Monday on 21 April.

• Anzac Day falls on Friday, 25 April.

That means if you book leave on Tuesday 22 April to Thursday 24 April, you can walk away with a glorious 10 day holiday (18 to 27 April) for the price of just three days of annual leave. So grab your calendar, highlight the 2025 dates, and start plotting maximum R&R while being paid for it.