Victoria Public Holidays 2026: Complete List and Guide

Victoria’s 2026 public holiday calendar stands apart from every other Australian state, offering two exclusive days off — Grand Final Friday and Melbourne Cup Day — alongside ten others that follow the national pattern. The official list, released by Business Victoria, confirms a dozen statutory holidays that give the state a distinctive rhythm across the year.

Number of public holidays in Victoria (2026): 12 ·
Unique holidays to Victoria: Grand Final Friday, Melbourne Cup Day ·
Next public holiday (from Jan 1, 2026): Australia Day – Monday 26 January ·
Victoria’s rank among Australian states: Equal to most states, fewer than ACT

The 2026 calendar includes 12 holidays, but their distribution across the year is uneven: six fall in the first four months, while the second half features the state’s two unique holidays. Here is the full date-by-date breakdown.

The pattern: twelve holidays clustered in the first and fourth quarters, with a notable gap between June and September.

How many public holidays are there in Victoria?

Official count for 2026

• Victoria will observe 12 public holidays in 2026, according to Business Victoria (state government authority). This count matches most Australian states but trails the Australian Capital Territory’s 13.

How public holiday numbers are determined

Each state and territory sets its own calendar through legislation and proclamation. Victoria’s Public Holidays Act 1993 establishes the statutory framework, while the government gazettes specific dates each year. The number can shift slightly from year to year: for instance, when Christmas or Boxing Day falls on a weekend, an additional substitute day is declared – as happens in 2026 with Boxing Day (Saturday) pushing a replacement holiday to Monday 28 December.

The implication: Victoria’s count is stable but not fixed — weekend fallouts can add substitute days.

What holidays are in Victoria in 2026?

Complete list of 2026 Victorian public holidays

The full set, confirmed by Business Victoria and the Fair Work Ombudsman (national workplace regulator), includes:

• New Year’s Day – Thu 1 Jan
• Australia Day – Mon 26 Jan
• Labour Day – Mon 9 Mar
• Good Friday – Fri 3 Apr
• Easter Saturday – Sat 4 Apr
• Easter Monday – Mon 6 Apr
• Anzac Day – Sat 25 Apr
• King’s Birthday – Mon 8 Jun
• Grand Final Friday – TBC (late Sep)
• Melbourne Cup Day – Tue 3 Nov
• Christmas Day – Fri 25 Dec
• Boxing Day – Sat 26 Dec (substitute Mon 28 Dec)

Special dates: Grand Final Friday and Melbourne Cup Day

Two holidays are unique to Victoria. Grand Final Friday, the day before the AFL Grand Final, is a state-specific public holiday not observed anywhere else. Melbourne Cup Day on the first Tuesday of November is also exclusive to Victoria – other states treat it as a regular working day. Fair Work Ombudsman notes that Melbourne Cup is sometimes observed on different dates in some regional areas of Victoria, but the statewide date is 3 November.

Dates for 2027 (provisional)

The 2027 calendar has not been officially published yet. Historically, Victoria releases the next year’s list around October of the preceding year. Until then, the 2026 pattern can serve as a rough guide, with the caveat that Easter and Grand Final dates will shift.

Is the grand final public holiday only in Victoria?

The unique nature of the Grand Final holiday

Yes – the Friday before the AFL Grand Final is a public holiday only in Victoria. Introduced in 2015, it replaced the defunct AFL Grand Final Parade holiday. Business Victoria lists it as a “whole holiday” statewide, tied to the AFL calendar. No other Australian state offers a dedicated public holiday for a sporting event.

Other states with similar football-related holidays

While no state matches Victoria’s Grand Final Friday, several have event-related observances: Western Australia has a public holiday for the Western Australia Day (not football), and South Australia has the Monday after the AFL Grand Final as a half-holiday in some areas. Still, none carry the same direct link to a single game.

“Grand Final Friday is part of what makes Victoria’s calendar truly one of a kind – it’s the only public holiday in Australia that moves with a sports schedule.”
Business Victoria (state government authority)

What this means: Victoria’s AFL-linked holiday is unmatched nationally, but its float creates operational friction for some employers.

Does Victoria have more public holidays than other states?

National comparison of public holiday counts

Victoria’s 12 public holidays place it in the middle of the pack. According to Fair Work Ombudsman, the Australian Capital Territory leads with 13, while New South Wales and Queensland also have 12. South Australia and Western Australia typically have 11, Tasmania has 12 (with regional variations), and the Northern Territory has 11. Here’s a direct comparison:

Sources: Business Victoria, Fair Work Ombudsman, and respective state government websites.

Why some states have more or fewer holidays

The variation stems from historical decisions and unique local events. States with horse racing or agricultural show holidays (e.g., Adelaide Cup, Royal Queensland Show) add extra days. Victoria’s two unique holidays (Grand Final Friday and Melbourne Cup) are effectively trade-offs for not having a separate show day. The pattern: states with more public holidays often trade off a lower number of other leave entitlements, but that’s a topic for another discussion.

Is a Victorian public holiday a statutory holiday?

Definition of statutory holiday in Victoria

Yes – all 12 public holidays in Victoria are statutory (general public holidays) under the Public Holidays Act 1993. Business Victoria confirms that each holiday listed in the official gazette carries the same legal weight: employees are entitled to the day off with pay, or to penalty rates if they work. The term “statutory holiday” is synonymous with “public holiday” in the Victorian context.

Employee rights and penalty rates on public holidays

Fair Work Ombudsman (national workplace regulator) outlines that on these days, modern awards and registered agreements prescribe penalty rates (typically 150% to 250% of base pay) for time worked. There are exceptions for specific industries like hospitality and health. Additionally, Anzac Day, Good Friday, and Christmas Day are restricted trading days in Victoria, meaning most shops must close – a rule enforced by the Victorian government. Employees who work on these days without authorisation may receive extra penalties.

“If a public holiday falls on a weekend, the substitute day (usually the following Monday) takes its place for leave and penalty rate purposes. Always check your award or agreement for the exact rates.”
Fair Work Ombudsman (national workplace regulator)

“Victorian public holidays are statutory – that means they’re not optional. Whether you’re an employer or an employee, the same basic rules apply: get the day off with pay, or get paid extra for working it.”
Fair Work Ombudsman (national workplace regulator)

For Victorians, 2026’s public holiday calendar is a mix of fixed tradition and one floating football affair. The two exclusives – Grand Final Friday and Melbourne Cup Day – give the state a distinctive rhythm that no other Australian jurisdiction can claim. For employers, the catch is clear: plan for the unknown date of Grand Final Friday by late September, and remember that Anzac Day, Good Friday, and Christmas Day lock down trading. For employees, the 12 days off including the substitution mean a reliable baseline for leave planning. The choice is simple: treat the official list as your anchor, the Grand Final date as your asterisk, and the rest as a solid annual framework.