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Bank holidays are significant as they provide a break from the routine and an opportunity for employees to rest and spend time with family. In Australia, these holidays vary by state and territory, in addition to nationwide holidays.

Nationwide Bank Holidays

*Australia Day – When 26 January falls on a weekend, the public holiday is observed on the following Monday (in 2025, Monday 27 January is the day off for Australia Day).

*King’s Birthday – In most states this is celebrated on Mon 9 June 2025. However, Queensland and Western Australia hold the King’s Birthday public holiday on different dates to avoid clashes with other events (QLD on 6 October 2025, and WA on 29 September 2025)

*Melbourne Cup Day – This is an official public holiday in Victoria (on the first Tuesday of November). Other states do not have a public holiday on Melbourne Cup Day, though the event is nationally renowned and many workplaces pause to watch the race.

Learn more about Australia’s Holidays

What is Australia Day? 

• Australia Day, celebrated on January 26th, commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788. It’s a day to celebrate Australian culture, diversity, and history.

Fun Fact: Australia Day marks the beginning of the European settlement of Australia, but it has also become a day of controversy, with some Indigenous Australians referring to it as “Invasion Day” due to the negative impact colonisation had on their communities.

What is Anzac Day?

• Anzac Day, observed on April 25th, honors the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli during World War I. It has since evolved to commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

Fun Fact: The dawn service, held at dawn to symbolise the landing at Gallipoli, is a significant part of Anzac Day commemorations, with ceremonies held across Australia and New Zealand.

What is Melbourne Cup Day?

• Melbourne Cup Day, held on the first Tuesday of November, is one of Australia’s most famous horse racing events. It’s often referred to as “the race that stops a nation” due to its widespread following. In the state of Victoria, Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday, and it’s celebrated with large crowds at Flemington Racecourse and gatherings around the country to watch the race.

Fun Fact: The Melbourne Cup has been held since 1861 and is steeped in history and tradition. The event draws international competitors and has seen many surprising outcomes. For instance, in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, Knight’s Choice – a 5-year-old bay gelding ridden by jockey Robbie Dolan – won as a 90-1 outsider, paying a starting price of around $91 for the win, which stunned many racing fans.

Melbourne Cup Winners Over the Years

Source: punters.com.au

State-Specific Bank Holidays

Australia has a variety of bank holidays, with seven nationwide holidays and additional state-specific holidays. The total number of holidays varies by state, with the maximum being in states with unique holidays like the Melbourne Cup Day in Victoria and the Adelaide Cup Day in South Australia.

Key:

Non-working = public holiday (most businesses closed); Working = not a statewide public holiday (general business as usual, though some institutions may close).
“Working” day holidays above are niche or regional observances (not a day off for the general population statewide).

State-specific notes:

• Royal Queensland Show – Also known as the “Ekka,” this is a public holiday for the Brisbane area only (regional show holidays in other parts of QLD occur on different dates).

• King’s Birthday (WA) – In Western Australia the King’s Birthday public holiday is held on a different date (late September) than in other states, and some regional areas of WA celebrate it on yet another date, varying by local schedule.

• Royal Hobart Regatta – Observed in southern Tasmania (Hobart area) only. Northern Tasmanian communities do not observe this in February.

• Easter Tuesday – Observed in Tasmania mainly by public service workers; it is not a public holiday for most businesses.

• Recreation Day – Observed in northern Tasmania (the regions that do not have the Royal Hobart Regatta holiday). Essentially, if southern TAS has a holiday for Regatta Day, the north of the state gets Recreation Day later in the year instead. (These two Tasmanian holidays split the state by region.)

• Bank Holiday (NSW) – This is a day on which certain bank and financial institution employees get a holiday (the first Monday in August in NSW). It is not a standard public holiday for most industries, so businesses outside the finance sector generally operate as normal on this day.

As shown above, 2025 does not introduce any brand-new public holidays nationally, but it does continue the adjustments seen in recent years (such as the name change to King’s Birthday and the observance shift for Australia Day when it falls on a weekend). It’s always wise to check your specific state’s official announcements, especially for any regional holiday changes or one-off proclamations.

AU Holidays vs Other Countries

To put Australia’s bank holidays in perspective, here’s a comparison with 10 other major countries:

1. United States: 11 federal holidays (New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, etc., including the recently added Juneteenth). (The U.S. also has an Inauguration Day in DC every four years.)

2. United Kingdom: 8 public holidays in England and Wales (Scotland and Northern Ireland have slight variations).

3. Canada: 9 national public holidays (with additional provincial holidays varying across Canada).

4. Germany: 9–13 public holidays, depending on the state (some German states have more holidays than others).

5. France: 11 public holidays nationwide.

6. Japan: 16 national holidays (Japan has one of the highest number of public holidays globally, including unique ones like Mountain Day).

7. China: 7 official public holidays, but these are often combined with weekends to create week-long holidays (e.g. Chinese New Year/Spring Festival Golden Week).

8. India: 3 national public holidays (Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti), but dozens of others observed at state or regional level due to religious and cultural diversity.

9. Brazil: 12 national public holidays, plus additional state holidays (such as Carnival which is widely observed).

10. Russia: 14 public holidays (including New Year holidays in early January and others spread throughout the year).

Australia’s mix of nationwide and state-specific holidays means residents of different states might enjoy a different number of days off. Overall, Australia’s total number of public holidays is about average compared to other countries – not as many as Japan, but more than the UK or US. These holidays reflect Australia’s history (e.g. Anzac Day, Australia Day), its ties to the Commonwealth (King’s Birthday), community events (like agricultural shows and sporting events in certain states), and religious observances (Easter and Christmas). They provide a balanced spread of breaks across the year, contributing to work-life balance and allowing Australians to come together in celebration, remembrance, or simply for some relaxation.