Anzac Day, which falls on Saturday, April 25 this year, will see a varied approach to public holidays across Australia’s states and territories. While some regions will maintain the traditional observance of the day itself, others will provide additional time off the following Monday.
Key changes have been introduced in New South Wales (NSW), where Premier Chris Minns announced in February a trial of an extra public holiday on the Monday following Anzac Day for 2026 and 2027. As a result, Monday, April 27, 2026, and Monday, April 26, 2027, will be observed as public holidays alongside the Anzac Day holiday on April 25. This marks a departure from the previous practice, where no additional day off was granted if Anzac Day coincided with the weekend.
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will also enjoy public holidays on both Saturday, April 25, and Monday, April 27, mirroring the new policy in NSW. However, there are uncertainties about whether the ACT will continue the extra holiday in future years.
Western Australia (WA) has long had a policy in place that grants a public holiday on the following Monday when Anzac Day occurs on a weekend. Therefore, WA residents will observe public holidays on both April 25 and April 27 this year.
On the other hand, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Tasmania will only commemorate Anzac Day on the designated day, April 25, without any additional Monday holiday. For these states, Anzac Day will fall on a Saturday this year and on a Sunday next year (April 25, 2024).
Overall, the upcoming Anzac Day weekend will be unique, particularly for those in NSW, the ACT, and WA, who will benefit from an extra day off to honour the occasion. In contrast, residents in other states will stick to the traditional observance of public holiday on Anzac Day itself.