Throughout the year, Queenslanders get to enjoy 12 public holidays as well as some local ones like Show Days. This means many employees circle these dates on their calendar and apply for annual leave for that bit of extra time off, or a longer, long weekend.
For help navigating public holiday entitlements and pay, contact us for expert HR Support.
Enjoying extra sunshine in the sunshine state
Public holidays can mean busy periods, extra working hours, higher wage rates, and additional employee entitlements. These will depend on your business and industry. There are also certain holidays that affect all Aussie businesses. If you're a business owner or employer in Queensland, and unsure of your public holiday obligations or employee wage rates, call and speak to an expert adviser at Peninsula.
List of Public Holidays in Queensland (QLD) for 2026
| Holiday | Date in 2026 |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday 1 January |
| Australia Day | Monday 26 January |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April |
| Saturday | 4 April the day after Good Friday |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 5 April |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April |
| ANZAC Day | Saturday 25 April |
| Labour Day | Monday 4 May |
| Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only) | Wednesday 23 August |
| King’s Birthday | Monday 5 October |
| Christmas Eve (6 pm to Midnight) | Thursday 24 December |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Saturday 26 December. * As Boxing Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, MMonday 28 December becomes an additional public holiday |
Show holidays in Queensland in 2025
In areas throughout Queensland, annual agricultural, horticultural or industrial show days are considered public holidays.
Special events or commemorative days in certain areas of QLD are considered special holidays. They are known as ‘Bank Holidays.’
Employee entitlements on public holidays in Queensland
Public holidays, including local public days, will affect workplace entitlements.
In most cases, where an employee is off work on a public holiday and that day would be their regular working day, employees are still entitled to payment on a public holiday. When an employee works on a day that is a gazetted public holiday, they are entitled to extra payment. This is usually in the form of an additional penalty rate or loading.
Staff must choose to work freely and cannot be coerced, harassed, threatened, or intimidated to work on a restricted trading day. If a staff member previously agreed to work and they no longer wish to work on a restricted trading day, they cannot be forced to attend work.
Shutdowns and leave entitlements
You can direct your award or enterprise agreement covered employees in Queensland to use their annual leave over a shutdown period if the enterprise agreement or award allow it.
If the award or enterprise agreement does not contain any rules about shutdowns, you cannot direct the employees to use their annual leave during the shutdown period unless the employee agrees to do so.
Trading on public holidays in Queensland
Independent retail shops can open at any time, including on most public holidays. There are exceptions when they must remain closed, including:
- Good Friday and Christmas Day.
- ANZAC Day 25 April before 1:00 pm.
These restrictions do not apply to an independent retail shop which is predominantly a food and/or grocery shop.
Public Holidays in Queensland which are not closed days:
- New Year’s Day (1 January)
- Australia Day (26 January)
- The day after Good Friday (date varies)
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- King’s Birthday
- Local shows
- Christmas Eve (6 pm to midnight)
- Boxing Day
The Holidays Act 1983 allows for additional or substitute public holidays on the following Monday or Tuesday when certain public holidays fall on a weekend:
- New Year’s Day
- Australia Day
- ANZAC Day (only if it falls on a Sunday)
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
Exemptions to restricted trading days in Queensland
Exempt shops are defined in the QLD legislation in the Trading (Allowable Hours) Act 1990 and include shops such as:
- Confectionery shops or ice-cream parlours.
- Bread, cake or pastry shop.
- Butcher shop.
- Flower shop.
- Fruit and vegetable shop.
- Chemist.
- Service station.
- Bookseller or newsagent.
There is a longer list of shops that are exempt and can be found on the Queensland Government website.
Enjoying some extra holiday time
The holiday season, public holidays, and long weekends enable you to enjoy good food and fun times with family and friends. If you’re a business owner or employer in Queensland, you need to know all the public holidays and appropriate employee entitlements to ensure you meet your legal obligations.
Peninsula is committed to providing answers to your public holiday questions. Call our team for free initial expert advice 24/7.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute as business or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. It does not take into consideration your specific business, industry or circumstances. You should seek legal or other professional advice regarding matters as they relate to you or your business. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Peninsula Group disclaim all liability for any errors or omissions contained in this information or any failure to update or correct this information. It is your responsibility to assess and verify the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of the information in this article.