Queensland's 2026 public holidays run from New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January to an extra Boxing Day holiday on Monday 28 December. Labour Day is in May (4 May 2026), the King's Birthday is in October (5 October 2026), and Christmas Eve is a part-day public holiday from 6pm to midnight.
Queensland's calendar doesn't line up with the southern states, which is why it catches out national rosters. These dates and rules come from the Queensland Government's public holidays page, last updated 16 January 2026, as it reads in October 2026.
Queensland dates at a glance
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday 1 January | Friday 1 January |
| Australia Day | Monday 26 January | Tuesday 26 January |
| Good Friday | Friday 3 April | Friday 26 March |
| The day after Good Friday | 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 | Monday 26 April |
| Labour Day | Monday 4 May | Monday 3 May |
| Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only) | Wednesday 12 August | Wednesday 11 August |
| King's Birthday | Monday 5 October | Monday 4 October |
| Christmas Eve, 6pm to midnight | Thursday 24 December | Friday 24 December |
| Christmas Day | Friday 25 December | Saturday 25 December and Monday 27 December |
| Boxing Day | Saturday 26 December and Monday 28 December | Sunday 26 December and Tuesday 28 December |
Why the dates move the way they do
Every date above comes from rules in the Holidays Act 1983. Once you know them, you can predict any year:
- Australia Day is 26 January, or the following Monday if 26 January is a Saturday or Sunday.
- Anzac Day is 25 April, or the following Monday only if 25 April is a Sunday. A Saturday Anzac Day gets no Monday.
- Labour Day is the first Monday in May, and the King's Birthday is the first Monday in October. Both have been on those dates since 2016.
- Easter Sunday has been a public holiday since 2017.
- Since Christmas 2011, an extra public holiday is added when Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day falls on a weekend.
That second rule is the one to watch in 2026. Anzac Day falls on a Saturday, so Queensland has no Monday holiday on 27 April 2026. In 2027 it falls on a Sunday, so Monday 26 April becomes the holiday. Western Australia gives a Monday for both, so the rule varies by state, and a national calendar will get one of them wrong.
The Christmas Eve part-day holiday
Here's the insight that trips up retail and hospitality payroll. Since 2019, Queensland has had a part-day public holiday on Christmas Eve, from 6pm to midnight. The day itself is an ordinary working day until 6pm. So a shift that runs from 2pm to 10pm on 24 December 2026 is partly ordinary time and partly public holiday time, and how those hours are paid depends on the employee's award or agreement. The penalty rates explainer covers how award loadings are set.
Queensland's long weekends in 2026
Laid out as a calendar, Queensland's 2026 long weekends are Australia Day on Monday 26 January, a four-day Easter from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April, Labour Day on Monday 4 May and the King's Birthday on Monday 5 October. There's no Anzac long weekend, because 25 April is a Saturday. Christmas runs from Friday 25 December to Monday 28 December, with the part-day holiday starting at 6pm on Thursday 24 December.
Show holidays: the Ekka and the rest
The Royal National Agricultural Show Day, known locally as the Ekka, is a public holiday for the Brisbane area only. It falls on the Wednesday during the show, and the show starts on the first Friday in August, unless that Friday is before 5 August, in which case it starts on the second Friday. That's how you get Wednesday 12 August in 2026 and Wednesday 11 August in 2027.
Other parts of Queensland have their own show holidays on different dates. If you employ people outside Brisbane, check the local show holiday for each location instead of assuming the Ekka date applies.
Queensland against the other big states
| Holiday | Queensland 2026 | Victoria 2026 | WA 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Day | Monday 4 May | Monday 9 March | Monday 2 March |
| King's Birthday | Monday 5 October | Monday 8 June | Monday 28 September |
| Day after Good Friday | Yes | Yes | No |
| Monday after a Saturday Anzac Day | No | No | Yes |
If you run payroll in more than one state, keep a calendar per state, and check how each holiday interacts with annual leave when staff book time off around Easter or Christmas.
My verdict
Queensland's three traps are timing (Labour Day in May and the King's Birthday in October), the Christmas Eve part-day from 6pm, and local show holidays. Put all three into your rostering system now, and if you're a Queensland employer with a growing wage bill, my guide to payroll tax in Queensland is worth a read too.
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Frequently asked questions
Is 27 April 2026 a public holiday in Queensland?
No. Anzac Day falls on Saturday 25 April 2026, and Queensland only moves the holiday to Monday when 25 April falls on a Sunday.
When is the King's Birthday holiday in Queensland in 2026?
Monday 5 October 2026. Since 2016, the King's Birthday has been the first Monday in October in Queensland.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in Queensland?
Partly. Since 2019, Christmas Eve has been a part-day public holiday from 6pm to midnight.
When is the Ekka public holiday in 2026?
The Royal Queensland Show holiday is Wednesday 12 August 2026, for the Brisbane area only.
Is Easter Saturday a public holiday in Queensland?
Yes. The day after Good Friday is a public holiday in Queensland, and so is Easter Sunday.
When is Labour Day in Queensland in 2026?
Monday 4 May 2026 and Monday 3 May 2027. Since 2016, Labour Day has been the first Monday in May in Queensland.
Is Boxing Day 2026 a public holiday on Monday in Queensland?
Yes. Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December 2026, so Monday 28 December is an additional public holiday under the Holidays Act 1983.
Do regional Queensland towns get the Ekka holiday?
No. The Royal Queensland Show holiday is for the Brisbane area only. Other areas have their own show holidays on different dates.
