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Tasmania Public Holidays 2026

Public Holidays

12 Jan 2026 (Last updated 12 Jan 2026)

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When it comes to public holidays, Tasmanian employees get to enjoy 9 state-wide days as well as some regional days like the Royal Hobart Regatta or Flinders Island Show. Depending on your business and industry, there are certain holidays that affect all businesses and companies.

Making public holiday plans

Scrolling through the calendar searching for public holidays so they can enjoy extra time off or spend a longer long weekend with family and friends is something many employees do.

For employers and business owners, if you’re unsure of your public holiday obligations or employee wage rates, call and speak to an expert adviser at Peninsula.

List of public holidays in Tasmania for 2026

Holiday Date in 2026
New Year’s Day Thursday 1 January
Australia Day Monday 26 January
Eight Hours Day Monday 9 March
Good Friday  Friday 3 April
Easter Monday Monday 6 April
Easter Tuesday Tuesday 7 April (this is generally Tasmanian Public Service holiday only)
ANZAC Day Saturday 25 April * No substitute or additional holiday is observed
King’s Birthday Monday 8 June
Christmas Eve Thursday 24 December 7 pm-midnight
Christmas Day  Friday 25 December
Boxing Day  Saturday 26 December * As Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, Monday 28 is an additional public holiday

Regional holidays in Tasmania in 2026

Holiday Date in 2026 Regions
Devonport Cup Wednesday 7 January Tasmanian State Service Only
Royal Hobart Regatta Monday 9 February South of and including Oatlands and Swansea. It excludes Bronte Park, Catagunya, Strathgordon, Tarraleah, Wayatinah and West Coast
Launceston Cup Wednesday 25 February Tasmanian Public Service Only
King Island Show Tuesday 3 March Only King Island
AGFEST Friday 8 May Municipal area of Circular Head Only
Burnie Show Friday 2 October Municipal areas of Burnie, Waratah-Wynyard and West Coast
Royal Launceston Show Thursday 8 October Municipal areas of Break O'Day, Dorset, George Town, Launceston, Meander Valley, Northern Midlands, West Tamar
Flinders Island Show Friday 16 October Municipal area of Flinders Island
Royal Hobart Show Thursday 22 October All of Tasmania south of and including Oatlands and Swansea also Bronte Park, Strathgordon, Tarreleah and Wayatinah. Excludes West Coast
Devonport Show Friday 27 November Municipal areas of Devonport, Kentish and Latrobe

Employee entitlements on public holidays in Tasmania

Listing a day as a public holiday in Tasmania does not mean employees can have the day off work or get paid more for working on that day. If you are an employer or business owner in Tasmania, you will need to check your award, agreement, or National Employment Standard (NES), to find out if the public holiday applies to your workplace.

Employees should be given a choice if they should work or not on the public holiday. They have a right to not work on a public holiday.

Ensure you get public holidays right with Peninsula

The holiday season, public holidays, and long weekends mean enjoying good food and fun times with family and friends. For business owners or employers in Tasmania, juggling HR and WH&S responsibilities can be challenging. 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 advice 24/7 or make an enquiry today.

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.

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Queensland Public Holidays 2026

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. 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.

Public Holidays

Public Holidays in Tasmania 2025

When it comes to public holidays, Tasmanian employees get to enjoy 9 state-wide days as well as some regional days like the Royal Hobart Regatta or Flinders Island Show. Depending on your business and industry, there are certain holidays that affect all businesses and Aussie companies. Making public holiday plans Scrolling through the calendar searching for the next public holiday so they can have some extra time off, or spend a longer long weekend with family and friends is something many employees do. For employers and business owners, if you’re unsure of your public holiday obligations or employee wage rates, call and speak to a specialist adviser at Peninsula 24/7. List of Public Holidays in Tasmania for 2025  Holiday Date in 2025 New Year’s Day Wednesday 1 January Australia Day Monday 27 January Eight Hours Day Monday 10 March Good Friday  Friday 18 April Easter Monday Monday 21 April Easter Tuesday (generally Tasmanian Public Service only) Tuesday 22 April ANZAC Day Friday 25 April King’s Birthday Monday 9 June Recreation Day Monday 3 November Christmas Eve Wednesday 24 December 7 pm-midnight Christmas Day  Thursday 25 December Boxing Day  Friday 26 December Substitute holidays in Tasmania When New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day fall on the weekend the public holiday is held on the following Monday (or Tuesday in some cases): If 25 December is on a Saturday, then both the Saturday and following Monday holidays If 25 December falls on a Sunday, then both the Sunday and following Tuesday holidays If Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, then Monday is the public holiday If Boxing Day falls on a Sunday, then Tuesday is the public holiday When ANZAC Day falls on Saturday or Sunday, no substitute or additional holiday is observed. Regional holidays in Tasmania in 2025 *Holiday 2025 Remarks * Holiday Date in 2025 Regions Devonport Cup Wednesday 8 January Tasmanian State Service Only Royal Hobart Regatta Monday 10 February South of and including Oatlands and Swansea excluding Bronte Park, Catagunya, Strathgordon, Tarraleah, Wayatinah & West Coast Launceston Cup Wednesday 26 February Tasmanian Public Service Only King Island Show Tuesday 4 March Only in King Island AGFEST Friday 2 May Municipal area of Circular Head Only Burnie Show Friday 3 October Municipal areas of Burnie, Waratah-Wynyard and West Coast Royal Launceston Show Thursday 9 October Municipal areas of Break O'Day, Dorset, George Town, Launceston, Meander Valley, Northern Midlands, West Tamar Flinders Island Show Friday 17 October Municipal area of Flinders Island Royal Hobart Show Thursday 23 October All of Tasmania south of and including Oatlands and Swansea also Bronte Park, Strathgordon, Tarreleah and Wayatinah. Excludes West Coast Devonport Show Friday 28 November Municipal areas of Devonport, Kentish and Latrobe Employee entitlements on public holidays in Tasmania Listing a day as a public holiday in Tasmania does not mean employees can have the day off work or get paid more for working on that day. If you are an employer or business owner in Tasmania, you will need to check your award, agreement, or National Employment Standard (NES), to find out if the public holiday applies to your workplace. Employees also have a right to not work on a public holiday. They should be given a choice if they should work or not on the public holiday. Ensure you get public holidays right with Peninsula The holiday season, public holidays, and long weekends mean enjoying good food and fun times with family and friends. For business owners or employers in Tasmania, juggling HR and WH&S responsibilities can be challenging. 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 advice 24/7 or make an enquiry today.

Public Holidays

South Australia Public Holidays 2026

When’s the next SA public holiday? Looking though the calendar for the next public holiday is something many employees do. Public holidays give you and your employees a chance to spend some extra time with family and friends or enjoy a long weekend. Although as an employer or business owner in South Australia, there are certain obligations you must meet that relate to public holidays. These can depend on your business type and industry. There’s also certain public holidays that affect all Aussie businesses. If you’re unsure of your public holiday obligations or employee wage rates, call and speak to an expert adviser at Peninsula. List of public holidays in South Australia for 2026 Holiday  Date in 2026 New Year’s Day  Thursday 1 January  Australia Day  Monday 26 January  Adelaide Cup Day Monday 9 March Good Friday  Friday 3 April Easter Saturday Saturday 4 April Easter Sunday  Sunday 5 April Easter Monday  Monday 6 April ANZAC Day  Saturday 25 April King’s Birthday Monday 8 June Labour Day Monday 5 October Christmas Eve Thursday 24 December 7 pm-midnight Christmas Day  Friday 25 December Proclamation Day Holiday Saturday 26 December. * As Proclamation Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, there is an additional public holiday for Monday 28 December 2026 New Year’s Eve Part-day public holiday Thursday 31 December 7 pm-midnight Is Easter Sunday a public holiday in South Australia? Easter Sunday became a public holiday in South Australia from 1 January 2024. All four days of Easter are now public holidays in SA. Proclamation Day public holiday Proclamation Day is the day to celebrate the founding of South Australia as a British colony in the early 1800s. While the original date was 28 December 1836, the date was later moved to the first workday following Christmas, which is typically 26 December. The day is called ‘Proclamation Day’ because it was on this day the official proclamation of the new colony’s existence was read. Part-day public holidays in South Australia An employee who works between the hours of 7 pm and 12 midnight on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve is entitled to public holiday rates. These rates will be provided by the relevant Award or Enterprise Agreement. Even when these days fall on Saturday or Sunday, these conditions should be followed. Trading on public holidays in South Australia The trading rules and regulations for retailers in South Australian shopping districts is regulated by the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 and Shop Trading Hours Regulations 2018. Where a shop is located, its size and what it sells determines if it’s exempt or not exempt from the shop’s trading laws. Easter Saturday is a public holiday but is a normal day of Saturday trading in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District. Non-exempt shops in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District can trade from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on the additional public holiday when New Year’s Day, Christmas Day and Proclamation Day holiday fall on a Saturday or Sunday (or Monday in the case of the Proclamation Day holiday). Employee entitlements on public holidays in South Australia A shop is entitled to be opened on a Sunday or a public holiday if each employee who works in the shop during that Sunday or public holiday has voluntarily accepted an offer to work on that day. Enjoying a public holiday The holiday season, public holidays, and long weekends mean enjoying good food and fun times with family and friends. If you’re a business owner or employer in South Australia, you need to be aware of 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 expert team 24/7 for free initial advice. 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.

Public Holidays

Public Holidays in South Australia 2025

When’s the next SA public holiday? Looking though the calendar for the next public holiday is something many employees do. Public holidays give you and your employees a chance to spend some extra time with family and friends or enjoy a long weekend. Although as an employer or business owner in South Australia, there are certain obligations you must meet that relate to public holidays. These can depend on your business type and industry. There’s also certain public holidays that affect all Aussie businesses. If you’re unsure of your public holiday obligations or employee wage rates, call and speak to a specialist adviser at Peninsula. List of public holidays in South Australia for 2025   Holiday  Date in 2025 New Year’s Day  Wednesday 1 January  Australia Day  Monday 27 January  Adelaide Cup Day Monday 10 March Good Friday  Friday 18 April Easter Sunday  Sunday 20 April Easter Monday  Monday 21 April ANZAC Day  Friday 25 April King’s Birthday Monday 9 June Labour Day Monday 6 October Christmas Eve Wednesday 24 December 7 pm-midnight Christmas Day  Thursday 25 December Proclamation Day Holiday Friday 26 December New Year’s Eve Part-day public holiday Wednesday 31 December 7 pm-midnight This year, with Australia Day falling on Sunday 26 January 2025, the public holiday is moved to Monday 27 January 2025. Is Easter Sunday a public holiday in South Australia? Easter Sunday became a public holiday in South Australia from 1 January 2024. All four days of Easter are now public holidays in SA. Proclamation Day public holiday Proclamation Day is the day to celebrate the founding of South Australia as a British colony in the early 1800s. While the original date was 28 December 1836, the date was later moved to the first workday following Christmas, which is typically 26 December. The day is called ‘Proclamation Day’ because it was on this day the official proclamation of the new colony’s existence was read. Part-day public holidays in South Australia An employee who works between the hours of 7 pm and 12 midnight on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve is entitled to public holiday rates. These rates will be provided by the relevant Award or Enterprise Agreement. Even when these days fall on Saturday or Sunday, these conditions should be followed. Trading on public holidays in South Australia The trading rules and regulations for retailers in South Australian (SA) shopping districts is regulated by the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 and Shop Trading Hours Regulations 2018. Where a shop is located, its size and what it sells determines if it’s exempt or not exempt from the shop’s trading laws. Easter Saturday is a public holiday but is a normal day of Saturday trading in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District. Non-exempt shops in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District can trade from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on the additional public holiday when New Year’s Day, Christmas Day and Proclamation Day holiday fall on a Saturday or Sunday (or Monday in the case of the Proclamation Day holiday). Employee entitlements on public holidays in South Australia A shop is entitled to be opened on a Sunday or a public holiday if each employee who works in the shop during that Sunday or public holiday has voluntarily accepted an offer to work on that day. Enjoying a public holiday The holiday season, public holidays, and long weekends mean enjoying good food and fun times with family and friends. If you’re a business owner or employer in South Australia, you need to be aware of 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 24/7 for free initial advice.

Public Holidays

Easter Weekend 2026: Your guide to paying employees

For hospitality, tourism, and retail businesses the Easter holiday period is one of the busiest times of year. It also often coincides with school holidays in many states, so you’ll need all hands-on deck. A long weekend such as Easter means a time of relaxation and leisure for families, which leads to an influx of consumers. This is good news for business owners and employers who have been battling the cost-of-living crisis, inflation, increased wages, and rising operating costs. If your business is open over the Easter public holidays you need to know What to pay your employees and their entitlements, Do they get additional time off? Can you even ask employees to work on public holidays? Easter holidays 2026 If your business is opening over the Easter holidays, you should be aware of the rules around employer obligations and restricted trading days. Easter Dates Day Good Friday 3 April is a public holiday in all states and territories Easter Saturday 4 April is a public holiday in the ACT, NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, and the NT. It is not a public holiday in WA or TAS Easter Sunday 5 April is a public holiday in the ACT, NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, the NT, and WA. It is not a public holiday in TAS Easter Monday 6 April is a public holiday in all states and territories Easter Tuesday 7 April is a unique public holiday exclusive to certain Tasmanian public services, awards or agreements ANZAC Day 2026 ANZAC Day (25 April) this year falls on a Saturday. If an employee would normally work on a Saturday, they are entitled to public holiday rates for that day if they work. Monday 27 April is an additional public holiday for ANZAC Day for the ACT and Western Australia only Asking employees to work on public holidays An employee can be made to work if the public holiday is observed on a day the employee would normally work and their employment agreement says they have to work on the public holiday. If the employee is made to work, there is a public holiday rate of pay which is time and a half and the employee will also get another paid day off later, otherwise known as a day in lieu. If an employee works a public holiday which is not a usual day they would work, the employee is entitled to time and a half. Roster your employees easily and quickly from your PC, tablet or phone with BrightHR. Employees don’t have to agree to work on Good Friday, Easter Monday or ANZAC Day, unless: these are days that the employee would have normally worked their employment contract says they have to work on the public holidays Easter trading rules Easter trading laws govern that shops cannot open on Good Friday, Easter Sunday or before 1:00pm on ANZAC Day (25 April). However, there are some exceptions to Easter trading hours: Certain shops including service stations, take-away food businesses, restaurants, cafes and souvenir stores can open with conditions limiting the goods they can sell according to the type of store they are. Garden centres can only open on Easter Sunday. Pharmacies can open with no restrictions. Some shops have an area exemption, for example, tourist resorts. Some shops are covered by a city and district council Easter Sunday trading policy. These rules only apply to businesses that are shops as covered by the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990. Other businesses can open during the Easter and ANZAC holidays. Easter public holiday pay For public holidays, there are a number of things to work out: which day the public holiday will be observed for each employee if it’s a public holiday that might be Mondayised (or Tuesdayised). That is an additional day off for when a public holdiday occurs on a weekend whether or not the day is an otherwise working day for the employee whether or not the employee will be working on the day how much the employee will be paid for the day whether the employee is entitled to an alternative holiday Public holiday rate of pay is time and a half. If the employee is made to work, there is a public holiday rate of pay which is time and a half for each hour worked. In certain circumstances, the employee will also get another paid day off later, otherwise known as a day in lieu or an alternative holiday. Misconception: ‘I already pay above minimum wage, so I’m covered for public holiday rates right?’ It’s great you pay above the minimum wage, but it doesn’t automatically exempt you from paying public holiday rates. You still have to pay the appropriate public holiday rate for an employee who is working a public holiday. You may be able to pay the employee a higher rate of pay to off-set a certain amount of public holidays, depending on the provisions in the applicable collective agreement and their employment contract. Easter weekend: What to pay? There is an added dimension to working on public holidays which can be best illustrated in the case of Easter and when employees work over this period. The public holidays for Easter are Good Friday and Easter Monday. Easter Sunday is different again as it is not a public holiday in all states. So if it's not a public holiday in your state, and your employee works, they are only entitled to their usual rate of Sunday pay. If the employee does not work on Easter Sunday, they are not entitled to a paid day. Keep in mind there are separate rules for shop employees. Employers of shop employees who want their employees to work on Easter Sunday must give them notice and the employee is allowed to refuse work. Ensuring you pay your employees correctly for working on public holidays can be confusing. To have your wage rate questions answered, contact the expert HR team at Peninsula. 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.

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