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VIC public holidays 2026

Victoria recognises 14 public holidays in 2026, including the Friday before the AFL Grand Final and the Tuesday of Melbourne Cup. Victorian penalty rates apply across all sectors with award coverage.

Public holidays in 2026
14
VIC-only days
3
Days with penalty rates
14

Every public holiday in 2026

DateDayHolidayCoverage
Thursday 1 January 2026ThuNew Year's DayNational
Monday 26 January 2026MonAustralia DayNational
Monday 9 March 2026MonLabour DayVIC-only
Friday 3 April 2026FriGood FridayNational
Saturday 4 April 2026SatSaturday before Easter Sunday6 of 8
Sunday 5 April 2026SunEaster Sunday7 of 8
Monday 6 April 2026MonEaster MondayNational
Saturday 25 April 2026SatAnzac DayNational
Monday 8 June 2026MonKing's Birthday6 of 8
Friday 25 September 2026FriAFL Grand Final FridayVIC-only
Tuesday 3 November 2026TueMelbourne CupVIC-only
Friday 25 December 2026FriChristmas DayNational
Saturday 26 December 2026SatBoxing Day6 of 8
Monday 28 December 2026MonBoxing Day (additional)6 of 8

Sources: The Public Holidays Act 1993 (Vic) defines public holidays. Penalty-rate obligations come from the Fair Work Act 2009 + applicable modern awards. Always cross-check with the current state gazette for any year-of substitutions when a holiday falls on a weekend.

Working it? Public holiday penalty rates depend on your award — check your public holiday rate or browse all penalty rates.

Next public holiday in VIC

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VIC public holidays 2027

Every VIC date below for 2027 is gazetted by the Fair Work Ombudsman except AFL Grand Final Friday, which is provisional until the AFL fixture (or equivalent schedule) is confirmed.

DateDayHolidayCoverage
Friday 1 January 2027FriNew Year's DayNational
Tuesday 26 January 2027TueAustralia DayNational
Monday 8 March 2027MonLabour DayVIC-only
Friday 26 March 2027FriGood FridayNational
Saturday 27 March 2027SatEaster Saturday6 of 8
Sunday 28 March 2027SunEaster SundayNational
Monday 29 March 2027MonEaster MondayNational
Sunday 25 April 2027SunANZAC Day5 of 8
Monday 14 June 2027MonKing's Birthday6 of 8
Friday 24 September 2027FriAFL Grand Final Friday (date not yet gazetted)Date TBCVIC-only
Tuesday 2 November 2027TueMelbourne Cup DayVIC-only
Saturday 25 December 2027SatChristmas DayNational
Sunday 26 December 2027SunBoxing Day7 of 8
Monday 27 December 2027MonChristmas Day (additional)National
Tuesday 28 December 2027TueBoxing Day (additional)7 of 8

Sources: The Public Holidays Act 1993 (Vic) defines public holidays. Penalty-rate obligations come from the Fair Work Act 2009 + applicable modern awards. 2027 dates are from the Fair Work Ombudsman’s published 2027 public holidays list; provisional dates above are re-checked against that list as the year approaches.

Working it? Public holiday penalty rates depend on your award — check your public holiday rate or browse all penalty rates.

Is it a public holiday?

  • Is Monday 9 March 2026 a public holiday in Victoria?

    Yes — Labour Day is a public holiday only in VIC.

  • Is Friday 25 September 2026 a public holiday in Victoria?

    Yes — AFL Grand Final Friday is a public holiday only in VIC.

  • Is Tuesday 3 November 2026 a public holiday in Victoria?

    Yes — Melbourne Cup is a public holiday only in VIC.

  • Is Monday 5 October 2026 a public holiday in Victoria?

    No — 5 October 2026 is an ordinary working day in VIC.

  • Is Father's Day a public holiday?

    No — Father's Day is a Sunday in September with no public-holiday status anywhere in Australia.

  • Is New Year's Eve a public holiday?

    No — New Year's Eve is not a public holiday in VIC.

  • Is Christmas Eve a public holiday?

    No — Christmas Eve is not a public holiday in VIC.

VIC quirks worth knowing

  • AFL Grand Final Eve (the Friday before the AFL Grand Final) is a uniquely Victorian public holiday — usually late September, the date is gazetted each year once the AFL fixture is finalised.

  • Melbourne Cup Day (first Tuesday in November) is a public holiday across all of Victoria, not just Melbourne. Some employers misunderstand this and underpay.

  • Easter Sunday is a separate public holiday in Victoria (added under the Public Holidays Act 1993) — distinct from Easter Saturday and Easter Monday.

  • The Friday before the AFL Grand Final was added in 2015 — relatively recent, and a frequent source of payroll errors.

Working a public holiday in VIC?

The penalty rate that applies depends on your modern award and employment type. Use our calculator to see the exact rate for your award + classification + state combination.

Calculate my public holiday rate →Work out my public holiday pay →Or all penalty rates →

Other states & territories

New South Wales (NSW)View →Queensland (QLD)View →South Australia (SA)View →Western Australia (WA)View →Tasmania (TAS)View →Australian Capital Territory (ACT)View →Northern Territory (NT)View →

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