Contact Us
Hero Image

Public Holidays 2025

Annual Leave

23 May 2025 (Last updated 3 Dec 2025)

Share on:

Public holidays can be national, state-wide, or limited to specific regions. While all Australian states and territories share the major public holidays, there are some differences between states and territories in what public holidays are observed and when. In this guide for employers, we list 2025 Public Holidays and how they may impact your business.

Australian Public Holidays 2025

The nationally recognised public holidays are:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Australia Day
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday
  • Anzac Day
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day
  • King’s Birthday (observed at different times by different states).

There are some public holidays, like Easter Sunday, that are observed in many but not all states and only one of the territories. Then there are also public holidays, like Western Australia Day, that are only celebrated by one state (guess which one). Finally, there are public holidays like Recreation Day in Tasmania that are only observed at a regional level.

2025 public holidays

It is important to keep on top of what public holidays may affect your staff, and what rates of pay your staff are entitled to if you decide to trade on those days.

States may also have different regulations in regard to public holidays which fall on a weekend. In some states, a public holiday is scheduled on the following Monday, in lieu of, or in addition to, the public holiday that fell on the previous Saturday or a Sunday. An employee is entitled to public holidays depending on where they are based for work not where they are working on the day of the public holiday.

Below are the designated 2025 public holidays:

Australian Capital Territory public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 – New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Monday 10 March 2025 – Canberra Day
  • Friday 18 April 2025– Good Friday
  • Saturday 19 April 2025 – Easter Saturday- the day after Good Friday
  • Sunday 20 April 2025 – Easter Sunday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 2 June 2025– Reconciliation Day
  • Monday 9 June 2025 – King’s Birthday (subject to change)
  • Monday 6 October 2025 – Labour Day
  • Thursday 25 December 2025 – Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025 – Boxing Day

New South Wales public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 – New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Friday 18 April 2025– Good Friday
  • Saturday 19 April 2025 – Easter Saturday- the day after Good Friday
  • Sunday 20 April 2025 – Easter Sunday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 9 June 2025 – King’s Birthday
  • Monday 6 October 2025 – Labour Day
  • Thursday 25 December 2025 – Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025 – Boxing Day

Northern Territory public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 – New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Friday 18 April 2025 – Good Friday
  • Saturday 19 April 2025 – Easter Saturday
  • Sunday 20 April 2025 – Easter Sunday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 - Easter Monday
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 5 May 2025 – May Day
  • Monday 9 June 2025 – King’s Birthday
  • Monday 4 August 2025 – Picnic Day
  • Wednesday 24 December 2025 – Christmas Eve (from 7 pm to midnight)
  • Thursday 25 December 2025 – Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025 – Boxing Day
  • Wednesday 31 December 2025– New Year’s Eve (from 7 pm to midnight)

Queensland public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 – New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Friday 18 April 2025 – Good Friday
  • Saturday 19 April 2025 – Day after Good Friday
  • Sunday 20 April 2025 – Easter Sunday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 5 May 2025 – Labour Day
  • Wednesday 13 August 2025 – Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only)
  • Monday 6 October 2025-King’s Birthday
  • Wednesday 24 December 2025– Christmas Eve (from 6 pm to midnight)
  • Thursday 25 December 2025 – Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025 – Boxing Day

South Australia public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 – New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Monday 10 March 2025 - Adelaide Cup Day (subject to proclamation)
  • Friday 18 April 2025 – Good Friday
  • Saturday 19 April 2025 – Easter Saturday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 9 June 2025 – King’s Birthday
  • Monday 6 October 2025 – Labour Day
  • Wednesday 24 December 2025 – Christmas Eve (from 7 pm to midnight)
  • Thursday 25 December 2025 – Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025 – Boxing Day/ Proclamation Day
  • Wednesday 31 December 2025 - New Year’s Eve (from 7 pm to midnight)

Tasmania public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 - New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Monday 10 February 2025 – Royal Hobart Regatta (only observed in certain areas of the state)
  • Monday 10 March 2025 – Eight Hours Day
  • Friday 18 April 2025 – Good Friday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday
  • Tuesday 22 April 2025 – Easter Tuesday (generally Tasmanian Public Service only)
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 9 June 2025 – King’s Birthday
  • Monday 3 November 2025 – Recreation Day (all parts of the state which do not observe Royal Hobart Regatta)
  • Thursday 25 December 2025 – Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025 – Boxing Day

Victoria public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 – New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Monday 10 March 2025– Labour Day
  • Friday 18 April 2025 – Good Friday
  • Saturday 19 April 2025 – Saturday before Easter Sunday
  • Sunday 20 April 2025 – Easter Sunday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 9 June 2025 – King’s Birthday
  • TBC – Friday before AFL Grand Final (subject to AFL schedule)
  • Tuesday 4 November 2025 – Melbourne Cup
  • Thursday 25 December 2025 – Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025– Boxing Day

Western Australia public holidays 2025

  • Wednesday 1 January 2025 – New Year’s Day
  • Monday 27 January 2025 – Australia Day
  • Monday 10 March 2025– Labour Day
  • Friday 18 April 2025 - Good Friday
  • Sunday 20 April 2025 - Easter Sunday
  • Monday 21 April 2025 – Easter Monday
  • Friday 25 April 2025 – Anzac Day
  • Monday 2 June 2025 – Western Australia Day
  • Monday 29 September 2025 – King’s Birthday (Some regional areas in WA hold the King’s Birthday public holiday on a different date)
  • Thursday 25 December 2025– Christmas Day
  • Friday 26 December 2025 – Boxing Day

There is no common pay rate for Australian public holidays. Why? There are a multitude of Modern Awards, enterprise bargaining agreements or other workplace agreements, and individual contracts, that may govern an employee’s payment conditions for such work.

Trading on a public holiday

If you decide to trade on a public holiday, you must ensure your business is commercially allowed to trade. State and territory governments have specified that some public holidays are restricted trading days on which only some businesses can operate unless they have an exemption.  As workplace relations experts, Peninsula cannot advise you on this matter and you should seek clarification from your state or territory government.

If you can otherwise trade on public holidays, employees generally don’t have to work on public holidays. Permanent employees, who would have otherwise worked on a day upon which a public holiday falls, have a workplace right to be absent from work on a public holiday, and be paid their base rate of pay for the ordinary hours they would have worked on that day, so you have to ask those employees to work on that day if reasonably required. An employee may refuse your request if it is unreasonable. Further information on requesting employees to work on public holidays is below.

Requesting employees to work on public holidays

In some industries, employees are needed to work on public holidays. For instance, in the hospitality industry, many restaurants are open during public holidays.

You may request employees to work on a public holiday, provided that this request is reasonable. There needs to be a legitimate reason for them to be working on the public holiday, and employees may refuse your request if it is unreasonable.

Before requesting an employee to work on a public holiday, you may need to consider their personal circumstances (e.g. family responsibilities), the role they fill and the needs of the workplace. It is always a good idea to make clear from when the employee is first employed that they may be required to work public holidays, and to have a policy in place to confirm this expectation and that the business operates on public holidays.

If you are an employer in a sector that requires employees to work during public holidays, you may find that some awards and agreements allow you to agree to substitute the designated public holiday for another day, and/or provide extra entitlements for employees. Some of those entitlements include:

  • Extra pay, e.g. public holiday rates.
  • An extra day off or extra annual leave.
  • Minimum shift lengths on public holidays.

Closing down over public holiday periods

You may decide to close your business over a public holiday period, which many businesses do over the Christmas/New Year’s period. If that’s the case, you may be able to direct your employees to take paid or unpaid leave for days they may usually have worked, during the shutdown, ensuring that you are complying with any notice provisions which may be present in a modern award, enterprise agreement or contract (if applicable).

We also have a Christmas party checklist that may help businesses understand their duty of care at Christmas parties.

For more questions about public holidays in Australia in 2025, you can call our free Advice Line.

Have a question?

Have a question that hasn't been answered? Fill in the form below and one of our experts will contact you back.

By clicking submit you consent to our Privacy Policy

Related Guides

Annual Leave

Immediate Family Leave

What is immediate family? The definition of ‘immediate family’ becomes important when an employee wants to take paid or unpaid leave because of matters involving an employee’s immediate family or a household member. According to the definition in the Fair Work Act 2009 an employee’s immediate family members include the employee’s:  Spouse or former spouse. De facto partner or former de facto partner. Child. Parent. Grandparent. Grandchild. Sibling. An immediate family member is also the child, parent, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of the employee’s spouse or de facto partner. The definition of immediate family also extends to step or adopted relatives, step-child, step-parent. As for members of the employee’s household, this includes anyone who lives with the employee.  Compassionate and bereavement leave What qualifies as compassionate leave?  Also known as bereavement leave, compassionate leave is when an employee needs to take time off to:  Provide care or support when someone in the employee’s immediate family or household is suffering from a life-threatening illness or injury;  Deal with the death of an immediate family or household member or the stillbirth of a child (e.g. plan or attend a funeral)  In the case of other relatives or friends, if the employer agrees.  All full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid compassionate leave at their base rate of pay for the time they would have worked if they hadn’t been on compassionate leave. An employee’s base rate of pay is the rate of pay an employee receives during ordinary hours, but does not include:  Incentive-based payments and bonuses. Loadings. Monetary allowances. Overtime or penalty rates. Other separately identified amounts. Casual employees are only entitled to unpaid compassionate leave.  Whether the employee is permanent or casual, the employer can make a reasonable request that the employee produce satisfactory evidence for the compassionate leave, i.e. proof the member of the employee’s immediate family or household has contracted or developed a life-threatening illness or sustained a life-threatening injury, or the death of an immediate family or household member. Examples of acceptable evidence may include medical certificates issued by a registered medical practitioner, death certificates, and death notices in the newspaper.  How much compassionate leave can an employee take?  An employee may take up to two days of compassionate leave any time the employee needs it. So on each occasion an immediate family or household member dies or suffers a life-threatening illness or injury. The days can be taken in different ways:  A single two-day block. Two separate days off. Any separate period you and the employee agree upon. Employees must give as much notice as possible of their intention to take compassionate leave, along with an estimated time of absence. In some circumstances, say in the event of a sudden medical emergency or death, it is reasonable for an employee to give notice of the leave after they have already begun their compassionate leave.  Personal/carer’s leave Personal/carer’s leave is another category of leave entitlement involving the care for immediate family or household members in cases of illness of injury. Personal/carer’s leave may also cater for unexpected family emergencies. It is different to compassionate leave and is a separate entitlement.  Under the National Employment Standards (NES), which form part of the Fair Work Act 2009, employees are entitled to paid or unpaid personal/carer’s leave. This is so they can deal with personal illness or injury, provide care or support to an immediate family member or member of their household, because of a personal illness or injury, or an unexpected emergency that affects that member.  Full-time employees are entitled 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave for each year they work for the same employer on a full-time basis. Part time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid leave on a pro rata basis. Casual employees are entitled to unpaid carer’s leave for two days each time an immediate family or household member requires care or support because of personal illness or injury, or is involved in an unexpected emergency.  For full-time and part-time employees, personal/carer’s leave will continue to accrue when an employee takes a period of paid personal/carer’s leave or paid annual leave.   An employee cannot take unpaid carer’s leave during a particular period if the employee could instead take paid personal/carer’s leave. When a permanent employee takes paid personal/carer’s leave, they must be paid at their base rate of pay for the ordinary hours they would have worked during that period.   Can paid personal/carer’s leave be cashed out?  An employee not covered by an award or agreement is not able to cash out their personal/ carer’s leave entitlements. Employees covered by an award or agreement may cash out their leave if:  The award or agreement allows for cashing out of personal/care’s leave. There is a separate agreement in writing each time the employee cashes out any personal/care’s leave. The employee retains a balance of at least 15 days of untaken paid personal/carer’s leave after any personal/carer’s leave is cashed out.  The employee is paid at least the full amount that would have been payable had the employee taken the personal/carer’s leave instead. Family and domestic violence leave  From the day they start work with their employer, all employees (including part-time and casual employees) are entitled to 10 full days of paid family and domestic violence leave each year. An employee can take this leave if they need to attend court, liaise with the police, or attend to other matters concerning their own safety or the safety of a close relative, including an immediate family member, and it is impractical to do these things outside working hours.   Confidentiality  If an employee provides personal information when they apply for or give notice of their intention to take immediate family leave, the employer should keep the reasons for the leave confidential. Especially if the employee is required to provided reasonable evidence of the specific circumstances that entitle them to the leave.  However, you may disclose any information regarding the circumstances surrounding the employee’s leave if it's required by law or to protect the life, health or safety of a person. Peninsula can help you understand immediate family leave, including compassionate and personal/carer’s leave. Call us on 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.

Annual Leave

Leave of Absence

What is leave of absence?  Not to be confused with annual leave, a leave of absence is when an employee experiencing out-of-the-ordinary circumstances is allowed to take time off work. As long as the request is for a valid reason, employers can approve a leave of absence and give the employee permission to be away from work for a specified period of time8.   Common reasons for a leave of absence include childbirth, adoption, physical or mental health issues, or caring for an ill or elderly family member. Under the National Employment Standards in Australia, employees are entitled to personal leave as a leave of absence, regardless of the terms in their employment contract.    What are valid reasons for leave of absence?  There are many situations that are appropriate for employees to request a leave of absence. Examples include:   The birth or adoption of a child – Welcoming a new member into the family is often viewed as a good reason for a leave of absence.  Bereavement – A leave of absence will normally be granted for bereavement when an employee’s family or household member dies. Medical appointments – An employee needing to attend a medical appointment or receive treatment will normally see a leave of absence granted.   Caring for an unwell or elderly family member – If an employee is responsible for caring for a sick or vulnerable family member, employers will often give permission for a leave of absence.   Poor physical or mental health – If an employee is suffering from physical or mental health issues, most employers will allow them to take time off work to recover.   Paid leave of absence  This type of leave of absence allows employees to take time off from work and still receive their normal pay (exclusive of any penalties, bonuses, and annual leave loading). In line with the National Employment Standards, all employees are entitled to sick and carer’s leave:  Full-time employees receive 10 days of paid sick and carer’s leave per year   Sick and carer’s leave entitlements for part-time employees are worked out on a pro-rata basis   Casuals and contractors are entitled to a set amount of sick and carer’s leave, but do not receive pay  In cases of bereavement, employees are entitled to paid compassionate leave when:  A member of their immediate family or household dies, or contracts or develops a life-threatening illness or injury  A baby in their immediate family or household is stillborn  They have a miscarriage  Their current spouse or de facto partner has a miscarriage  Employees receive two days of paid leave on each occasion they meet the criteria. These two days can be taken in succession, on two separate dates within a month, or over any time period agreed with the employer. Casuals and contractors are entitled an amount of compassionate leave but not receive pay. Family and domestic violence leave Full-time, part-time and casual employees dealing with family and domestic violence are entitled to:  10 days of paid leave each year from the day they start working for your business. This leave can be taken all at once or periodically as needed. Unpaid leave of absence  It is also possible for an employer and employee to agree on an unpaid leave of absence. In this situation, the employee takes a set period of time off work without pay.   For instance, if an employee wants to take a long trip that extends beyond their annual leave allowance, the employer may choose to approve this absence as unpaid leave.  Sometimes if an employee has used all their paid personal leave but remains unable to return to work, they will continue to be absent on unpaid leave.   What is the process when applying for a leave of absence?  How an employee requests a leave of absence will vary from business to business. Employees should look at their employer’s leave of absence policies to figure out if their request is valid.   If the request is valid, the employee should submit their request in writing to their line manager or supervisor. It is also common for leave of absence requests (personal, sick and carer’s) to be submitted directly through the company’s HR platform.  Before a leave of absence is approved, employers will sometimes ask for evidence to support the request (such as a doctor’s letter).  Peninsula can help you understand the finer details of a paid or unpaid leave of absence. If you are unsure how to handle your employee’s leave request, or if you have any other questions, please call our 24/7 Advice Line now for free initial advice.

Annual Leave

What is Community Service Leave? When does it apply?

There may be times when one or more of your employees need to take community service leave. This is time off for jury service, firefighting, or to help with some other emergency or natural disaster such as a flood or following a severe storm or cyclone. When can an employee take community service leave? If an employee intends to take community service leave, they must notify you as soon as possible of their expected absence period. They should provide evidence the reason for their absence is to engage in an eligible community service activity. Eligible types of community service are: Jury service. Voluntary emergency management conducted by a state or territory. Firefighting, civil defence or rescue services for emergencies or natural disasters, such as the State Emergency Service (SES), Country Fire Association (CFA), or Rural Fire Service (RFS). The period of community service leave includes travel to the activity, time spent doing it, and time for reasonable rest and recovery afterwards. Community service leave does not accrue because it depends on events only. There is no limit to how much community service leave someone takes, as long as it is eligible and reasonable. All your employees, including casuals, are entitled to unpaid community service leave. Jury service Jury service is the only form of community service leave that is paid. When employees are required to take leave for jury service or attend court for jury selection, they receive jury service pay from the government. In many states as an employer, you are obligated to pay an employee's normal wage or top up the government payment amount to their usual pay. This often applies for up to the first 10 days of a trial. This is an example of how top up works: Your permanent employee earns a usual weekly base rate of $700, The government pays $250 per week for jury service, You top up their pay by $450, Each state and territory will have their own payment amounts. This will vary based on the length of service. You should check with your state legislation to ensure you meet your payment obligations to employees attending jury service. You can ask your employee for evidence showing they have taken all steps to get the full amount of jury service pay and evidence of how much pay they received in the first two weeks. If a state law provides for paid community service leave that is more generous than the National Employment Standards, then the generous amount applies. Please see our Jury Service guide for more information. What if my employee is a witness not a juror? An employee who is required to attend court as witnesses is not entitled to community service leave. When an employee needs to attend court as a witness and not for jury service, they can take paid annual leave by agreement or request unpaid leave for the time they will be absent from work. Peninsula's advisers are experts in helping you manage community service leave effectively. For peace of mind, you can call our 24-hour Advice Line. 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.

View all guides

Do you have any questions regarding Annual Leave?

International Sites

United Kingdom

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

Scotland

Canada

New Zealand

© 2026 Peninsula Employment Services Ltd. Registered Office: Level 6/180 Thomas St, Sydney NSW 2000

Peninsula Protect is a financial product issued by Peninsula Mutual Limited ACN 630 256 478, AFS Licence No. 544232. Peninsula Mutual Limited has appointed Peninsula Australia Pty Ltd as its Authorised Representative 001274577 to distribute the product and provide general advice. To decide if this product is right for you, please read the Peninsula Protect Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination.