Australian public holidays for 2021 - Travel

by Lindy Alexander

Mar 30, 2021

And how to get 10 days off over Easter.

If there’s one thing that Aussies love, it’s a public holiday. Luckily for us, there’s plenty of them on the horizon.

First up, Easter is the next public holiday on the 2021 calendar.

If you’ve got questions about public holidays and how to make the most of your precious days off over Easter, read on.

What are Australia’s national public holidays?

Our national public holidays are New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Depending on which state you live in, the Queen’s Birthday and Labour Day may fall on different days because these are individually designated by state and territory governments.

Is Good Friday a public holiday?

Yes, it sure is. Regardless of what state you live in, Friday April 2 is the Good Friday public holiday. Monday April 5 is also a public holiday. And if you’re lucky enough to live in Tasmania, you’ll also get Tuesday April 6 off.

How to make the most of the Easter 2021 public holidays: Take four days of annual leave from April 6 – 9 and you’re in for a 10-day break (starting on Good Friday April 2 and finishing on April 11).

When is Anzac Day?

Anzac Day is on the 25 April and this year it falls on a Sunday.

For folks who live in the ACT, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia the day after Anzac Day this year (Monday 26 April) is an official public holiday.

So, do Victorians, Tasmanians and people from New South Wales get an Anzac Day public holiday?

The short answer is no.

In these states Anzac Day is commemorated on the day it falls and there is no replacement holiday when Anzac Day falls on a weekend.

When is the Queen’s Birthday public holiday?

For all states except Queensland and Western Australia, the Queen’s Birthday public holiday and long weekend falls on 14 June this year.

Western Australia celebrates the Queen’s Birthday with a day off on 27 September and Queensland celebrates the Queen’s Birthday on 4 October.

All of the dates fall are on a Monday so the Queen’s Birthday is always a long weekend, no matter which state you live in.

But weirdly enough, none of those dates are the Queen’s actual birthday. That’s on 21 April.

When is Labour Day?

Labour Day (or 8 Hours Day if you’re in Tassie) is celebrated on different days depending on where you live:

Western Australia – 1 March

Victoria and Tasmania – 8 March

Queensland – 3 May

ACT, NSW, South Australia – 4 October

Is Christmas Eve 2021 a public holiday?

In Queensland, Christmas Eve is a part-day holiday (from 6pm – midnight) and in the Northern Territory and South Australia, Christmas Eve is a part-day holiday 7pm – midnight.

The Christmas cheer starts a day later for all the other states with a public holiday on Christmas Day (25 December).