2026 Calendar Australia – Public Holidays and Key Dates Guide

The 2026 calendar for Australia outlines a series of public holidays observed nationwide, alongside state-specific additions that reflect regional traditions and observances. From the traditional New Year’s Day on January 1 through to the Boxing Day holiday, the year offers multiple long weekend opportunities for planning travel, family gatherings, or simply taking a break from routine. Understanding which dates apply in each state and territory helps residents and visitors navigate the year with greater confidence, particularly when coordinating time off work or booking interstate travel.

Australia’s public holiday framework combines nationally recognised dates with state-observed additions, creating a system that acknowledges both federal milestones and regional history. The result is a calendar that varies meaningfully depending on where in the country you find yourself. Victoria School Holidays 2024 – Full Term Dates Guide provides context on how Victorian school term scheduling has worked in recent years, illustrating the state-dependent nature of these arrangements.

What Are the Public Holidays in Australia in 2026?

Ten national public holidays apply across all Australian states and territories throughout 2026. These dates form the foundation of the annual holiday calendar and represent occasions of significance to the nation as a whole.

National Public Holidays

• New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1
• Australia Day: Monday, January 26
• Good Friday: Friday, April 3
• Easter Saturday: Saturday, April 4
• Easter Sunday: Sunday, April 5
• Easter Monday: Monday, April 6
• Anzac Day: Saturday, April 25
• Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
• Boxing Day: Saturday, December 26

Key Insights

• Three public holidays fall in the first week of January, providing a strong start to the year for those planning leave early
• The Easter period spans four days, creating one of the year’s longest holiday stretches in most states
• Anzac Day on April 25 lands on a Saturday in 2026, which affects how the day is observed in certain jurisdictions
• Because Anzac Day falls on a Saturday, only the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Western Australia will observe an additional public holiday on Monday, April 27
• Christmas and Boxing Day fall at the end of the week in 2026, offering a natural long weekend without substitution
• State-specific holidays like Queen’s Birthday and Labour Day vary across jurisdictions, so checking your state schedule matters for planning purposes

State and Territory Variations

Beyond the national framework, each state and territory observes additional public holidays that reflect local history and culture. These variations mean that a holiday recognized in one part of the country may not apply in another.

For comprehensive details on how these variations affect your state, the NSW Government public holidays page and Fair Work Ombudsman guidance on public holidays provide authoritative information across jurisdictions.

When Are the School Holidays in Australia 2026?

School holiday dates in Australia follow a four-term structure, though the precise timing of each break varies considerably between states and territories. Education departments in each jurisdiction release their term schedules independently, meaning that families moving between states or planning travel around school breaks should consult the relevant authority for their area.

For those comparing historical patterns, Victoria School Holidays 2024 – Full Term Dates Guide provides context on how Victorian school term scheduling has worked in recent years, illustrating the state-dependent nature of these arrangements.

General Structure

Australian schools generally operate on a four-term model, with term lengths typically ranging from nine to eleven weeks. Each term is followed by a holiday break, with the longest periods generally occurring over the end-of-year summer months. The exact start and finish dates for each term differ across states, and even between individual schools within the same state in some cases.

Planning Around School Holidays

For families planning trips or coordinating leave, school holiday periods represent peak travel times across Australia. Booking accommodation and transport well in advance during these windows is strongly advisable, as demand increases significantly when large numbers of families are simultaneously available.

Key Dates: Easter, New Year, and Christmas 2026

Three periods anchor the Australian holiday calendar with particular significance: the New Year festivities at the beginning of January, the Easter long weekend in April, and the Christmas–New Year period at the end of the year. Each carries distinct cultural weight and planning implications.

New Year 2026

January 1 falls on a Thursday in 2026, meaning New Year’s Day opens the year as a public holiday. Combined with Australia Day on Monday, January 26, the opening month of the year contains two national public holidays. For those with leave available, this creates an opportunity to structure extended time off around these fixed dates.

Easter 2026

Easter in 2026 spans the weekend of April 4–5 with public holidays on Good Friday (April 3) and Easter Monday (April 6). This four-day period represents one of the most significant holiday stretches of the Australian year. Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays in all states and territories, while Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday are holidays in most jurisdictions, though specific arrangements vary.

Note that Easter Tuesday (April 7) is observed as a public holiday in Tasmania, though this applies primarily to the Tasmanian Public Service rather than universally across all employers and employees in the state.

Christmas and the Holiday Season

Christmas Day on December 25 opens the end-of-year holiday period, with Boxing Day following on December 26. Both dates are national public holidays. In 2026, these dates fall on a Friday and Saturday respectively, creating a natural extended weekend without the need for substituted dates in most cases.

Both the Northern Territory and, by extension, jurisdictions that adopt similar arrangements, extend recognition to Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve with specific trading hour restrictions, though these operate on reduced-hour provisions rather than full public holiday status.

Printable 2026 Calendars for Australia

For those who prefer physical or digital planning tools, several avenues exist for obtaining calendars that incorporate Australian public holidays. Official sources typically make these resources available closer to the start of the year.

Official Resources

Tourism Australia, the NSW Government, and the Fair Work Ombudsman maintain public holiday information on their websites, with the Fair Work resources offering particularly detailed breakdowns by state and territory. These platforms occasionally provide downloadable calendar formats, though direct printable PDF availability can vary.

The Time and Date Australia holiday calendar presents the full 2026 public holiday schedule in an accessible format that works well for digital planning or printing.

Third-Party Calendar Applications

Many calendar applications and services support importing Australian public holiday data, allowing users to overlay holiday information onto their personal scheduling systems. These tools vary in their update frequency and accuracy, so verifying that imported data reflects the official schedule remains advisable.

2026 Australia Calendar Timeline

1. January 1 (Thursday) — New Year’s Day (National)
2. January 26 (Monday) — Australia Day (National)
3. March 2 (Monday) — Labour Day (Western Australia only)
4. March 9 (Monday) — Canberra Day (ACT), Adelaide Cup Day (South Australia)
5. April 3 (Friday) — Good Friday (National)
6. April 4 (Saturday) — Easter Saturday (most states)
7. April 5 (Sunday) — Easter Sunday (most states)
8. April 6 (Monday) — Easter Monday (National)
9. April 7 (Tuesday) — Easter Tuesday (Tasmanian Public Service only)
10. April 25 (Saturday) — Anzac Day (National)
11. April 27 (Monday) — Anzac Day observation (ACT, NSW, WA only)
12. May 4 (Monday) — Labour Day (Queensland, Northern Territory)
13. June 1 (Monday) — Reconciliation Day (ACT), Western Australia Day (WA)
14. June 8 (Monday) — King’s Birthday (ACT, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA, NT)
15. August 3 (Monday) — Bank Holiday (NSW), Picnic Day (NT)
16. August 12 (Wednesday) — Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane only)
17. September 14 (Monday) — Labour Day (Victoria only)
18. September 28 (Monday) — King’s Birthday (Western Australia only)
19. October 5 (Monday) — Labour Day (ACT, NSW, Queensland, South Australia)
20. October 22 (Thursday) — Royal Hobart Show (certain areas, Tasmania)
21. November 2 (Monday) — Recreation Day (areas not observing Royal Hobart Regatta, Tasmania)
22. November 3 (Tuesday) — Melbourne Cup Day (Melbourne metropolitan area only)
23. December 24 (Thursday) — Christmas Eve (NT, from 7pm)
24. December 25 (Friday) — Christmas Day (National)
25. December 26 (Saturday) — Boxing Day (National)
26. December 28 (Monday) — Boxing Day observation (ACT, NSW)
27. December 31 (Wednesday) — New Year’s Eve (NT, from 7pm)

What We Know and What Remains Unclear

Understanding State Variations in Australian Public Holidays

Australia’s approach to public holidays reflects its federal structure, where national occasions coexist alongside state-specific observances. This arrangement allows each jurisdiction to honour events of particular local significance while maintaining shared recognition of national milestones.

The variations that exist between states fall into several categories. First, there are regional foundation holidays that mark the establishment of individual colonies and territories. These include Canberra Day in the ACT, Western Australia Day, and Adelaide Cup Day in South Australia. Second, there are labour movement commemorations that occur on different dates across states, reflecting the historical strength of union movements in different parts of the country at different times.

A third category involves celebration days tied to specific locations, such as Melbourne Cup Day, which applies only within the Melbourne metropolitan area, and the Royal Queensland Show, which affects only Brisbane. This geographic specificity ensures that holiday recognition remains practical rather than applying uniformly across regions that may have different economic or cultural calendars.

The case of Anzac Day 2026 illustrates how national principles interact with state implementation. When Anzac Day falls on a Saturday, three states have legislated that the following Monday becomes a public holiday in its place. This adjustment reflects the practical reality that a Saturday holiday provides less benefit to workers than a weekday substitute, while avoiding unnecessary additional holidays in states that do not adopt the same arrangement.

Sources and References

Tourism Australia — Australian Public Holidays

National public holiday information across all states and territories, available at australia.com

NSW Government — About NSW Public Holidays

State-specific holiday schedule for New South Wales, including the August Bank Holiday

Fair Work Ombudsman — 2026 Public Holidays

Employment-focused guidance on public holiday arrangements across Australian jurisdictions

Timeout Australia — Australian Public Holidays Guide

Comprehensive state-by-state breakdown including Anzac Day 2026 Monday observation details

Summary

The 2026 Australian calendar offers a solid framework of ten national public holidays supplemented by meaningful state-specific additions that reflect local history and culture. The year opens strongly with holidays in January, builds through the significant Easter long weekend in April, and concludes with the familiar Christmas–Boxing Day period. Understanding which holidays apply in your state, and when state-specific observances fall, enables more effective planning for travel, family commitments, or simply maximising time off work.

While national holiday dates are confirmed and reliable, those planning around school breaks should monitor state education department announcements as 2026 approaches. Official sources including the Fair Work Ombudsman and Tourism Australia provide authoritative updates and additional context for navigating the year ahead.

For those interested in how Australian holidays and observances connect throughout the year, Mother’s Day Australia 2025 – Date, Celebrations and Gift Ideas explores another significant occasion on the calendar and illustrates how specific dates are determined each year.