South Australia's 2026 public holidays run from New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January to an additional Proclamation Day holiday on Monday 28 December. SA is the state with part-day holidays: from 7pm to midnight on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, workers are entitled to public holiday rates under their award or agreement.
These dates and rules come from SafeWork SA's public holidays page as it read in October 2026. Since 1 January 2024, SA's holidays have been set by the Public Holidays Act 2023, which replaced the Holidays Act 1910, so older calendars and blog posts may be out of date.
South Australia's 2026 list
| Date | Holiday | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January | New Year's Day | |
| Monday 26 January | Australia Day | |
| Monday 9 March | Adelaide Cup Day | SA only |
| Friday 3 April | Good Friday | |
| Saturday 4 April | Easter Saturday | Normal Saturday trading in Greater Adelaide |
| Sunday 5 April | Easter Sunday | A public holiday since 1 January 2024 |
| Monday 6 April | Easter Monday | |
| Saturday 25 April | ANZAC Day | No replacement day |
| Monday 8 June | King's Birthday | |
| Monday 5 October | Labour Day | |
| Thursday 24 December | Christmas Eve | Part-day, 7pm to midnight |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day | |
| Saturday 26 December | Proclamation Day holiday | |
| Monday 28 December | Additional day for Proclamation Day | |
| Thursday 31 December | New Year's Eve | Part-day, 7pm to midnight |
The part-day holidays on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
This is the rule that makes SA different. SafeWork SA says anyone who works between 7pm and 12 midnight on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve is entitled to the public holiday rates in their award or enterprise agreement. That still applies when either evening falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
For a hospitality business, that means two rosters on the same day: normal rates until 7pm, public holiday rates after. Check your award for the detail, because the part-day entitlement works through the relevant award or agreement. And note the trading point: SafeWork SA says these part-day holidays don't change prescribed shop trading hours for that day.
Proclamation Day sits on Boxing Day
South Australia's Proclamation Day is 28 December, but the holiday is observed on 26 December, which is why SA lists a "Proclamation Day holiday" rather than Boxing Day in 2026. When 26 December falls on a Saturday, that day and the following Monday are public holidays. When it falls on a Sunday or Monday, that day and the following Tuesday are. In 2026 that gives Saturday 26 and Monday 28 December.
Weekend rules for the other holidays
- Christmas Day and New Year's Day: when either falls on a Saturday or Sunday, that day and the following Monday are both public holidays.
- Australia Day: when 26 January falls on a weekend, the following Monday is the public holiday instead of the day itself.
- ANZAC Day: 25 April is the holiday whatever day it falls on, with no substitute or additional day. So there's no Monday off on 27 April 2026 in SA.
- Easter: all four days are public holidays, because Easter Sunday was added from 1 January 2024.
The ANZAC rule is worth flagging if you work across states. In NSW, the government's 2026 table lists an additional day on Monday 27 April. SA and Tasmania have no replacement day.
Long weekends and busy evenings in 2026
Reading the list as a calendar, SA gets a four-day Easter from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April, a long weekend for Adelaide Cup on Monday 9 March, and Mondays off for Australia Day, the King's Birthday and Labour Day on 5 October. December is the crowded month: a part-day on Thursday 24 December, Christmas Day on the Friday, the Proclamation Day holiday on the Saturday, the additional day on Monday 28 December, then another part-day on Thursday 31 December. If you run a bar, restaurant or late-opening shop, those two Thursday evenings are where most payroll errors happen, so set the 7pm cut-over in your rostering system now rather than fixing timesheets in January.
Banks and shops
- Every public holiday and every Sunday is taken to be a bank holiday in SA, and authorised deposit-taking institutions must close on bank holidays.
- Easter Saturday is a public holiday, but it's a normal day of Saturday trading in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District.
- Non-exempt shops in Greater Adelaide can trade from 9.00am to 5.00pm on the additional holiday when New Year's Day, Christmas Day or the Proclamation Day holiday falls on a weekend.
Pay on these days comes from the award, the agreement and the National Employment Standards. How public holiday loadings work is covered in this guide to penalty rates in Australia, and the other SA-specific employer costs are in my guides to long service leave in SA and payroll tax in SA.
My verdict
SA's calendar is easy until December. Put the two 7pm part-day holidays in your roster now, treat 26 December as Proclamation Day with a Monday add-on in 2026, and don't give staff 27 April off on the strength of another state's calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in SA?
Partly. In South Australia, Christmas Eve is a part-day public holiday from 7pm to midnight, and people working then are entitled to public holiday rates under their award or agreement.
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Is New Year's Eve a public holiday in SA?
Yes, from 7pm to midnight. It's a part-day public holiday, and that still applies when it falls on a weekend.
When is Adelaide Cup Day in 2026?
Adelaide Cup Day is Monday 9 March 2026.
What is the Proclamation Day holiday?
South Australia's Proclamation Day is 28 December, but the holiday is observed on 26 December. In 2026 that's Saturday 26 December, with an additional public holiday on Monday 28 December.
Is there a public holiday on Monday 27 April 2026 in SA?
No. SafeWork SA says there's no substitute or additional holiday when 25 April falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
Is Easter Sunday a public holiday in South Australia?
Yes. From 1 January 2024 Easter Sunday is a public holiday, so all four days of Easter are now public holidays.
What law sets South Australia's public holidays?
The Public Holidays Act 2023, which commenced on 1 January 2024 and replaced the Holidays Act 1910.
Can shops open on Easter Saturday in Adelaide?
Yes. SafeWork SA says Easter Saturday is a public holiday but a normal day of Saturday trading in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District.
