VIC public holidays 2026
Every public holiday in Victoria for 2026, as published by the Business Victoria. Additional days such as Additional holiday (Boxing Day) on Monday 28 December 2026 are public holidays for pay too.
| Public holiday | Date 2026 | Applies |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Whole state | |
| Australia Day | Whole state | |
| Labour Day | Whole state | |
| Good Friday | Whole state | |
| Saturday before Easter Sunday | Whole state | |
| Easter Sunday | Whole state | |
| Easter Monday | Whole state | |
| Anzac DayNo replacement holiday when Anzac Day falls on a weekend. | Whole state | |
| King's Birthday | Whole state | |
| Friday before the AFL Grand Final | Whole state | |
| Melbourne CupStatewide unless a non-metropolitan council has arranged a local holiday instead — see below. | Whole state | |
| Christmas Day | Whole state | |
| Boxing Day | Whole state | |
| Additional holiday (Boxing Day)Boxing Day falls on a Saturday. | Additional day |
VIC public holidays 2027
| Public holiday | Date 2027 | Applies |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Whole state | |
| Australia Day | Whole state | |
| Labour Day | Whole state | |
| Good Friday | Whole state | |
| Saturday before Easter Sunday | Whole state | |
| Easter Sunday | Whole state | |
| Easter Monday | Whole state | |
| Anzac DayNo replacement holiday when Anzac Day falls on a weekend. | Whole state | |
| King's Birthday | Whole state | |
| Melbourne CupStatewide unless a non-metropolitan council has arranged a local holiday instead. | Whole state | |
| Christmas Day | Whole state | |
| Boxing Day | Whole state | |
| Additional holiday (Christmas Day)Christmas Day falls on a Saturday. | Additional day | |
| Additional holiday (Boxing Day)Boxing Day falls on a Sunday. | Additional day |
- Friday before the AFL Grand Final 2027: not shown. Business Victoria lists it as "subject to AFL schedule" and will publish the date once the 2027 AFL fixture is released. It is usually the last Friday in September, but we do not print a date until the government does.
Regional Victoria: local holidays that replace Melbourne Cup Day (2026)
In these council areas the local holiday below is the public holiday instead of Melbourne Cup Day. If your job is based there, the public holiday rate applies on the local day, and Tuesday 3 November is an ordinary working day. Business Victoria adds councils during the year as they confirm their dates.
| Holiday | 2026 | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Warrnambool | Warrnambool City Council | |
| Moyne | Moyne Shire Council | |
| Mildura (part) | Mildura Rural City — westerly from and including Boinka, south of Murray Sunset National Park | |
| Warracknabeal (half day)Half-day holiday. | Yarriambiack Shire — township of Warracknabeal and district | |
| Rainbow district | Hindmarsh Shire — Rainbow, Albacutya and Kenmare | |
| Nhill district | Hindmarsh Shire — Broughton, Yanac, Netherby, Lorquon, Nhill, Glenlee, Kiata, Gerang Gerung, Little Desert | |
| Geelong | City of Greater Geelong | |
| Numurkah | Moira Shire — Numurkah District | |
| Bendigo (west of the Campaspe) | Greater Bendigo City Council — all areas west of the Campaspe River | |
| Macedon Ranges (part) | Macedon Ranges Shire — postcodes 3444, 3446, 3458, Cadello and Carlsruhe | |
| Wodonga Gold Cup | Wodonga City Council |
Only councils Business Victoria had listed by its 3 August 2026 update are shown. The 2027 list has not been published yet. Source: Victorian non-metropolitan public holidays 2026 (Business Victoria).
What you’re paid on a VIC public holiday
The state decides which days are public holidays. Your award or enterprise agreement decides the rate. If you work the day, every hour is paid at the public holiday rate below. If you don’t work it and it falls on a day you normally work, a full-time or part-time employee is paid their base rate for their ordinary hours. Casuals are paid only for hours they work.
| Award | Full-time / part-time | Casual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged Care AwardMA000018 · cl 23, 26.1 and 29.2 | 250% | 275% | Permanent employees can elect each year to have the hours added to annual leave instead of the extra 150% (cl 29.2(b)). |
| Building and Construction AwardMA000020 · cl 30.1 and cl 12.5–12.6 | 250% | 275% | |
| Cleaning AwardMA000022 · cl 20.2, Table 7 | 250% | 275% | Part-time employees are paid 265% because their 15% part-time allowance applies too (cl 10.2). |
| Clerks AwardMA000002 · cl 24 and Schedule B.3.1 | 250% | 275% | Paid for at least 4 hours when required to work a public holiday (cl 24.4(d)). |
| Commercial Sales AwardMA000083 · cl 19, cl 25.3–25.4 and Schedule A | 250% | 275% | |
| Electrical AwardMA000025 · cl 20.4 and Schedule B.2.1 / B.3.1 | 250% | 312.5% | |
| Fast Food AwardMA000003 · cl 21, Table 6 | 225% | 250% | Casuals 250% (the 225% plus the 25% loading). |
| General Retail AwardMA000004 | 225% | 250% | |
| Hair and Beauty AwardMA000005 · cl 23, Tables 14 and 15 | 250% | 250% | Casuals are paid 250% — the same as permanent staff. The 25% loading is not added (Table 15). |
| Health Professionals AwardMA000027 · cl 26, cl 33.2 and Schedule C | 250% | 275% | Casuals are paid 275%, the 250% plus the 25% loading (Schedule C.2.3). |
| Horticulture AwardMA000028 · cl 13.2, 13.3(d) and 27.3–27.4, and Schedule B.2–B.3 | 200% | 225% | |
| Hospitality AwardMA000009 · cl 29.2(b), Table 14 | 225% | 250% | |
| Legal Services AwardMA000116 · cl 21.3 and 21.4, Schedule B.1 and B.2 | 250% | 275% | |
| Live Performance AwardMA000081 · cl 21.5, cl 63.3(c) and cl 63.4 | 200% | 225% | |
| Manufacturing AwardMA000010 · cl 33 | 250% | 312.5%(250% of casual rate) | Casual rate is 250% of the casual hourly rate (cl 33), which is 312.5% of the minimum rate. Minimum 3 hours for day workers. |
| Mining AwardMA000011 · cl 21 and Schedule B.1.3 / B.2.3 | 250% | 312.5%(250% of casual rate) | Casual rate is 250% of the casual hourly rate (Schedule B.2.3), which is 312.5% of the minimum rate. |
| Miscellaneous AwardMA000104 · cl 20 and Schedule A.1.1 / A.2.1 | 250% | 250% | |
| Nurses AwardMA000034 · cl 20.2, 21 and 28.2 | 200% | 250%(200% of casual rate) | Casual rate is 200% of the casual hourly rate (cl 28.2), which is 250% of the minimum rate. Christmas Day on a weekend attracts an extra 50% in 7-day businesses (cl 28.2(b)). |
| Pastoral AwardMA000035 · cl 35.5 and Schedule B.2.1 / B.2.4 | 200% | 225% | |
| Pharmacy AwardMA000012 · cl 22.3, Table 6 | 225% | 250% | |
| Plumbing AwardMA000036 · cl 23 and Schedules C.1.3–C.1.7, D.1.3–D.1.7 | 250% | 275% | |
| Real Estate AwardMA000106 · cl 25.3 and Schedule B.1.1 / B.2.2 | 200% | 250%(200% of casual rate) | |
| Restaurant AwardMA000119 · cl 24.2, Table 8 | 225% | 250% | By agreement a permanent employee can take 125% plus a day added to annual leave or a day off within 28 days instead (cl 24.4(d)). Minimum engagement 4 hours (permanent) or 2 hours (casual). |
| Road Transport AwardMA000038 · cl 22.3, 22.8, 22.10, 23 and Schedule C | 250% | 275% | Day workers get 150% on top of the weekly wage for hours worked (effectively 250%), and 200% on top (300%) on Good Friday and Christmas Day; casual day workers 275% and 325% (cl 23.2). |
| SCHADS AwardMA000100 · cl 34.2 | 250% | 275% | The award says "double time and a half". Public holiday pay replaces weekend rates and shift loadings (cl 34.2(b)). |
| Security AwardMA000016 · cl 20.2, Table 7 | 250% | 275% | |
| Timber AwardMA000071 · cl 27 and Schedule D | 250% | 275% | Casual 275% is tabulated for the General Timber stream only (cl 27.1(d)); the award prints no casual public holiday rate for the other two streams. Minimum 3 hours. |
You can refuse a request to work a public holiday if the request is unreasonable or you have reasonable grounds. The public holiday pay guide covers refusals, leave and substitute days in full.
What you're paid for working Melbourne Cup Day in VIC
Enter your base hourly rate (the permanent rate from your payslip or award, before any casual loading), the hours you work on the day and your award. The award rate is read from the award’s own penalty table.
- Public holiday rate (250%)
- $66.10/h
- Pay for 6 hours on the public holiday
- $396.60
- Same hours on an ordinary weekday (incl. 25% loading)
- $198.30
- Extra for working the public holiday
- $198.30
- If you don't work it and would normally be rostered
- $0.00 (casual)
Casuals are paid only for public holidays they work. The casual rate shown already includes the 25% loading — it is not added again.
Before tax. Minimum shift lengths, overtime and allowances are not included. All Hospitality Award rates · Take-home pay after tax
Prefilled for a casual employee under the Hospitality Award. Change the award, rate and hours to match your payslip.
AFL Grand Final Friday and Melbourne Cup Day pay
Both are full public holidays under Victoria's Public Holidays Act 1993, so award public holiday rates apply to every hour worked, and a full-time or part-time employee who normally works a Friday or Tuesday is paid for the day off. They are Victorian holidays only. A job based in Victoria gets them even if you're working interstate that day, and a job based interstate doesn't get them even if you're working in Melbourne.
Grand Final Friday moves with the AFL fixture, which is why the 2027 date isn't published yet. Rosters for late September 2027 should be checked once Business Victoria lists it.
No extra day when Anzac Day falls on a weekend
Business Victoria states that Anzac Day is commemorated on the day it falls, with no replacement holiday. In 2026 it is a Saturday and in 2027 a Sunday, so there is no Monday holiday in Victoria either year. That differs from NSW, WA and the ACT, which add a Monday holiday in both years. If you work the Saturday or Sunday, the public holiday rate applies.
Restricted trading days
Good Friday, Anzac Day and Christmas Day are restricted trading days in Victoria, when most larger shops must close. If you do work in a business that can open, the public holiday rate applies as normal. The restriction affects whether the shop opens, not what you are paid.
Your VIC pay, leave and payslip
Public holiday pay is taxed as ordinary income with the rest of your pay. To see what a pay period with a public holiday shift leaves you after tax, use the VIC pay calculator. Long service leave is set by VIC law, not the National Employment Standards; the VIC long service leave calculator works out your entitlement. To check the public holiday line on your payslip, the payslip guide explains each line, and the back pay calculator totals an underpayment.
VIC public holiday pay questions
Public holidays in other states
How this page is sourced▼
Every date was read from the Business Victoria’s own public holidays page on 24 September 2026. Each date is stored alongside the text the government prints, and automated tests check the day, month and weekday against it. Where the government has not yet published a date, the page says so instead of estimating it.
Public holiday pay rates are read from the site’s award constants (Fair Work Commission award texts, rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026). Rights when not working come from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Act 2009 ss 114–116.
Sources & References
- 1Victorian public holidays 2026— Business Victoria
- 2Victorian public holidays 2027— Business Victoria
- 3Victorian non-metropolitan public holidays 2026— Business Victoria
- 4Not working on public holidays— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 5Public holiday penalty rates— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 6Public holidays (working outside your state or region)— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 7Fair Work Act 2009, sections 114–116— Federal Register of Legislation
Last verified: 24 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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