Victoria has 14 public holiday dates in 2026, from New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January to the extra Boxing Day holiday on Monday 28 December. The ones people forget are Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, the Friday before the AFL Grand Final (25 September 2026) and Melbourne Cup Day (3 November 2026).
Victoria's list is long, and three of its rules trip up rosters every year. Here are the dates Business Victoria publishes for 2026 and 2027, as they read in October 2026, followed by the quirks. Business Victoria notes the dates are accurate when published but can change, so check again before you lock in a roster.
Victorian public holiday dates
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday 1 January | Friday 1 January |
| Australia Day | Monday 26 January | Tuesday 26 January |
| Labour Day | Monday 9 March | Monday 8 March |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April | Friday 26 March |
| Saturday before Easter Sunday | Saturday 4 April | Saturday 27 March |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 5 April | Sunday 28 March |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April | Monday 29 March |
| ANZAC Day | Saturday 25 April (no replacement day) | Sunday 25 April (no replacement day) |
| King's Birthday | Monday 8 June | Monday 14 June |
| Friday before the AFL Grand Final | Friday 25 September | Subject to the AFL schedule |
| Melbourne Cup | Tuesday 3 November | Tuesday 2 November |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December | Saturday 25 December, plus Monday 27 December |
| Boxing Day | Saturday 26 December, plus Monday 28 December | Sunday 26 December, plus Tuesday 28 December |
For 2027, Business Victoria says the Grand Final Friday typically falls on the last Friday in September, and it'll confirm the date once the AFL releases its schedule.
Quirk 1: Easter is a four-day public holiday
In Victoria, Good Friday, the Saturday before Easter Sunday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are all public holidays. If you run a business that trades over Easter weekend, every one of those four days can attract public holiday rates under your staff's award or agreement, not only the Friday and Monday. The way penalty rates stack on top of base pay is explained in a separate guide.
Quirk 2: ANZAC Day doesn't move
This is the insight people miss in 2026. ANZAC Day falls on a Saturday, and Business Victoria is explicit that ANZAC Day is commemorated on the day it falls, with no replacement holiday when it lands on a weekend. So there's no Monday off on 27 April 2026 in Victoria. The same applies in 2027, when ANZAC Day falls on a Sunday. Some other states do give a Monday, so don't copy a national calendar.
Christmas and Boxing Day work differently. When either falls on a weekend, Victoria adds a weekday holiday: Monday 28 December 2026 for Boxing Day, and in 2027 both Monday 27 December and Tuesday 28 December.
Quirk 3: Melbourne Cup isn't the same everywhere
Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday across all of Victoria unless a non-metro council has arranged an alternate local holiday instead. If you have staff in regional Victoria, check the council's arrangement before you assume the first Tuesday in November is the day off.
Restricted trading days
Three of the days carry an extra rule: ANZAC Day, Good Friday and Christmas Day are restricted trading days in Victoria. Business Victoria flags them separately because trading restrictions apply on those days on top of the public holiday itself, so check whether your type of shop can open before you plan a sale or extended hours.
Victoria's long weekends in 2026
Reading the table as a calendar, 2026 gives Victorians a Monday off for Australia Day (26 January), Labour Day (9 March) and the King's Birthday (8 June), a four-day Easter from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April, a Friday off for the Grand Final on 25 September and a Tuesday off for the Cup on 3 November. Christmas runs from Friday 25 December to Monday 28 December. Expect leave requests for Monday 2 November, the day between a weekend and Cup Day.
How to plan your year around these dates
- Load both years into your rostering or payroll system now, including the 28 December substitute day in 2026.
- Mark Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday as public holidays, not ordinary weekend days.
- Leave the 2027 Grand Final Friday as provisional until the AFL schedule is released.
- Confirm Melbourne Cup arrangements with any regional council where you employ people.
- Check each employee's award or agreement for public holiday pay before the first holiday of the year.
If you're also working out leave balances for the year, my guides to annual leave in Australia and long service leave in Victoria cover the rules that sit alongside these dates.
My verdict
Victoria's calendar is packed, and most of the payroll mistakes come from treating it like the rest of Australia. Print the table, circle the four Easter days, and remember that 2026 has no ANZAC Monday but does have a Boxing Day Monday. If you employ people across states, keep a separate Victorian calendar.
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Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays are there in Victoria in 2026?
Business Victoria lists 14 public holiday dates in 2026, counting the extra Boxing Day holiday on Monday 28 December.
Is Easter Saturday a public holiday in Victoria?
Yes. The Saturday before Easter Sunday is a public holiday in Victoria, and so is Easter Sunday, alongside Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Is there a public holiday on Monday 27 April 2026 in Victoria?
No. ANZAC Day falls on Saturday 25 April 2026 and Business Victoria says there's no replacement holiday when ANZAC Day falls on a weekend.
When is the AFL Grand Final public holiday in 2026?
It's Friday 25 September 2026. The 2027 date depends on the AFL schedule and typically falls on the last Friday in September.
Is Melbourne Cup Day a public holiday in regional Victoria?
It's a public holiday across all of Victoria unless a non-metro council has arranged an alternate local holiday instead.
Is Boxing Day 2026 a four-day weekend in Victoria?
Close to it. Christmas Day is Friday 25 December, Boxing Day is Saturday 26 December and Monday 28 December is an additional public holiday because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday.
Which Victorian public holidays are restricted trading days?
ANZAC Day, Good Friday and Christmas Day are restricted trading days in Victoria, so trading restrictions apply on top of the public holiday.
When is the King's Birthday in Victoria?
Monday 8 June 2026 and Monday 14 June 2027.
