Public Holidays in Australia - Other Holidays

Other Holidays

• Proclamation Day is in December in South Australia only.
• Canberra Day is held on the 2nd Monday in March in the ACT. Prior to 2008, this holiday was celebrated on the 3rd Monday of March.
• Melbourne Cup Day is held on the first Tuesday of November - the day of the Melbourne Cup. It was originally observed only in the Melbourne metropolitan area. From 2007 to 2009 in ACT, Melbourne Cup day was also a holiday called "Family and Community Day" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Day) The holiday continues from 2010 but no longer coincides with Melbourne Cup day. In Victoria, the Public Holidays Act 1993 (Vic) was amended from 24 September 2008 and made the Melbourne Cup Day holiday applicable in all parts of the state (unless another day is observed in substitute). It also made the holiday applicable to employees covered by federal awards.
• Recreation Day is the first Monday of November, and celebrated in Northern Tasmania where Regatta Day is not a holiday.
• Regatta Day is the second Monday in February, and is celebrated in Southern Tasmania. Previously it was held on the second Tuesday in February.
• Geelong Cup Day is held on the fourth Wednesday of October in the city of Geelong, Victoria
• Queensland Day is celebrated on 6 June each year, but not with a public holiday.
• Adelaide Cup Day is held on the second Monday in March in South Australia (held in May before 2006)
• Western Australia Day in Western Australia on the first Monday in June (4 June in 2012)
• Picnic Day in the Northern Territory in August, and also May Day
• Tasmania has Easter Tuesday as a bank holiday (for bank and government employees only).
• New South Wales has the first Monday in August as a bank holiday (for bank employees only).
• Many cities and towns observe local public holidays for their local Agricultural Show. For example:
  • Darwin Show Day in Darwin area in late July
  • Royal Queensland Show Day in Brisbane area in August
  • Gold Coast Show in Gold Coast area in October