Is Anzac Day a Public Holiday? 2026 State Guide

If you’re planning your 2026 calendar and wondering whether Anzac Day means a day off, you’re not alone — the answer gets complicated because 25 April lands on a Saturday. This guide walks through what’s guaranteed, where the extra day off applies, and what your rights are under federal and state law.

Anzac Day date 2026: Saturday, 25 April ·
Public holiday status: Nationwide public holiday in all states and territories ·
States with Monday substitute holiday: Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory ·
States without Monday holiday: New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory (aligning with NSW) ·
Victoria treatment: Commemorated on 25 April only, no substitute

Key facts at a glance

The table below provides a quick reference for the key facts about Anzac Day 2026.

These facts confirm that while Anzac Day is a national public holiday, the Monday substitute varies significantly by state.

Do you get a public holiday for Anzac Day?

Nationwide public holiday status

Yes, Anzac Day is a public holiday in all Australian states and territories. The Fair Work Ombudsman (federal employment regulator) confirms that 25 April is listed as a public holiday nationwide in 2026. This applies to both public and private sector employees under the Fair Work Act.

2026 Saturday impact

In 2026, Anzac Day falls on a Saturday. While the day itself remains a public holiday, the big question is whether you get the following Monday off as a substitute. The answer depends entirely on where you live. According to analysis from The Conversation (academic analysis), New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia grant an extra public holiday when Anzac Day lands on a Saturday. But Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory do not — they observe only 25 April.

The implication: if you live in NSW, ACT or WA, you effectively get a long weekend in 2026. If you’re in Victoria, you get Saturday only, and the Monday is a regular working day.

Is Anzac Day a paid holiday?

Paid holiday eligibility

Under the Fair Work Act, employees who would normally work on a public holiday are entitled to the day off with pay if it’s an ordinary working day. The Fair Work Ombudsman states that if you are required to work on Anzac Day, you must be paid the applicable penalty rates — usually time-and-a-half or double time, depending on your award or agreement.

Penalty rates and overtime

State-specific legislation may set different rules for private sector employees. For example, the Retail Council of Australia (industry association) notes that trading hours on Anzac Day vary significantly by state, and penalty rates for retail workers can be higher than for other public holidays. The pattern: the more restrictive the trading hours, the higher the penalty for working.

Why this matters: a worker earning standard award rates in NSW who is rostered to work Saturday could see a 150% penalty, while a colleague in Victoria with a different award might only get 125% — the difference adds up.

Why is Anzac Day not a public holiday in 2026?

Misconception correction

Despite what you may have seen on social media, Anzac Day is absolutely still a public holiday in 2026. The confusion arises because it falls on a Saturday, and some states do not provide a Monday substitute. This leads to a common misconception that the holiday is “lost” when it falls on a weekend. According to Tourism Australia (national tourism board), Victoria is the key outlier — the state observes Anzac Day only on 25 April and does not shift it to another day.

Saturday versus weekday impact

The practical effect: if you normally work Monday to Friday, a Saturday Anzac Day means you don’t get an extra weekday off unless your state provides a substitute. In states without a substitute, you effectively “lose” the weekday public holiday compared to years when Anzac Day falls on a weekday. An explainer from ELLE Australia (popular culture outlet) calls this “the great Anzac Day public holiday divide” and notes that the split creates confusion every time 25 April lands on a weekend.

The pattern: states on the eastern seaboard (NSW, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania) are less likely to grant a substitute day, while Queensland and South Australia tend to give workers the Monday. The reason goes back to historical state public holiday legislation — each state sets its own rules for when a public holiday can be shifted.

Is Anzac Day 2026 a long weekend?

States with long weekend

Yes, if you live in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia or the Northern Territory, Anzac Day 2026 creates a long weekend. The Fair Work Ombudsman lists Monday 27 April as an additional public holiday for Anzac Day in those jurisdictions. That means Saturday for the actual day, Sunday ordinary, Monday off — three consecutive days.

States without

New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania do not have a Monday holiday, so there is no long weekend. According to The Conversation, the split is: WA grants an extra public holiday, but that claim conflicts with some other sources. However, the Fair Work Ombudsman page lists Monday 27 April as an additional holiday for WA, QLD, SA and NT. Note that Tasmania is listed in some sources as not having a substitute; the Business Victoria guidance confirms Victoria does not. So the list of states with a long weekend is QLD, SA, WA, NT.

The implication for Victorians: if you want a long weekend, you’ll need to take annual leave on Monday 27 April — it’s a regular working day under state law.

Why is April 25th chosen as Anzac Day?

Historical origin

April 25 marks the anniversary of the first landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in 1915. The Gallipoli campaign was a major military operation during World War I, and the date has become the primary day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women. According to historical records from the Tourism Australia (national tourism board), the day was first officially commemorated in 1916 with services, marches and ceremonies.

First Anzac Day commemoration

The first official Anzac Day was observed on 25 April 1916, one year after the landing. By the 1920s, most states had declared it a public holiday, though the dates and shiftrules varied. The day became a national public holiday for all states in 1994, with Victoria being the last to formally adopt it — though Victoria still does not shift the observance when it falls on a weekend. This historic quirk explains why Victoria is the outlier today.

The catch: the historical significance of 25 April means state governments are reluctant to “move” the day to the following Monday for workers — even though many employees would prefer the long weekend. The compromise is that some states grant a substitute holiday without shifting the actual commemoration.

The confusion surrounding the Monday substitute stems from differing state legislation, and the official gazettes will provide final confirmation.

What employees and employers are saying

Anzac Day is a public holiday in all states and territories on 25 April 2026. Some jurisdictions also have an additional public holiday on the following Monday.

— Fair Work Ombudsman (federal employment regulator)

When Anzac Day falls on a Saturday, New South Wales, the ACT and Western Australia receive an extra public holiday. The other states and territories do not.

— The Conversation (academic analysis)

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

— Business Victoria (state government guidance)

The takeaway for employers: if you operate across multiple states, your payroll and rostering system needs to handle the split. For employees: check your state’s official public holiday list — don’t rely on social media claims. The discussion on Reddit (user forum) shows the confusion even among public servants.

Comparison of states and territories

The following table compares whether each jurisdiction provides a Monday substitute for Anzac Day 2026.

The pattern shows that four jurisdictions offer the Monday substitute, while five (including the ACT and Tasmania) do not.

For a broader perspective on how this compares across the Tasman, check the Anzac Day public holiday status in New Zealand.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Victoria School Holidays 2025 — useful context on Victorian public holiday schedules.
• New Zealand Holiday Insurance Guide — Anzac Day is also observed in NZ, so understanding trans-Tasman holiday differences can help.