Tasmania has one of the most distinctive public holiday calendars in Australia. Beyond the standard national holidays, Tasmanian employers need to navigate Easter Tuesday, the Royal Hobart Regatta, Recreation Day, and a unique regional split that gives southern and northern workers different days off at different times of the year.

This guide covers every Tasmanian public holiday for 2026, explains the regional differences between southern and northern Tasmania, and walks through employer obligations so you can stay compliant and keep your team informed.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman or consult an employment lawyer for guidance specific to your organisation.

Full List of Tasmanian Public Holidays in 2026

Tasmania observes all national public holidays plus several state-specific and regional days. Here is the complete list:

Date	Holiday	National, State, or Regional
Thursday 1 January	New Year’s Day	National
Monday 26 January	Australia Day	National
Monday 9 February	Royal Hobart Regatta	Regional (Southern Tasmania only)
Monday 9 March	Eight Hours Day (Labour Day)	State
Friday 3 April	Good Friday	National
Saturday 4 April	Easter Saturday	National
Monday 6 April	Easter Monday	National
Tuesday 7 April	Easter Tuesday	State
Saturday 25 April	Anzac Day	National
Monday 8 June	Queen’s Birthday	State
First Monday in November	Recreation Day	Regional (Northern Tasmania only)
Thursday 25 December	Christmas Day	National
Friday 26 December	Boxing Day	National

Note: The Royal Hobart Regatta and Recreation Day are regional holidays that apply to different parts of the state. Employers with workers in both southern and northern Tasmania need to track both dates separately.

Tasmania’s Unique Public Holidays

Easter Tuesday

Tasmania is the only Australian state or territory that observes Easter Tuesday as a public holiday. In 2026, Easter Tuesday falls on Tuesday 7 April.

Combined with Good Friday (3 April), Easter Saturday (4 April), and Easter Monday (6 April), this gives Tasmanian workers a five-day public holiday period over Easter — the longest Easter break of any Australian jurisdiction.

Key points for employers:

Easter Tuesday applies to all of Tasmania. There are no regional variations.
Employees who work on Easter Tuesday are entitled to the same penalty rates as any other public holiday.
Many businesses choose to close for the entire Easter period, but those that remain open (hospitality, retail, tourism) need to budget for penalty rate costs across all five days.
Employees may also request the Wednesday and the rest of the week as annual leave, creating a substantial break. Plan rosters and leave approval deadlines well in advance.

Royal Hobart Regatta

The Royal Hobart Regatta is observed on the second Monday of February each year. In 2026, this falls on Monday 9 February.

This holiday has a critical regional restriction:

Southern Tasmania: The Royal Hobart Regatta is a public holiday for all employees whose workplace is in the southern part of the state.
Northern Tasmania: Workers in northern Tasmania do not observe this holiday. Instead, they receive Recreation Day later in the year.

The geographical boundary between southern and northern Tasmania for the purpose of this holiday is defined by the Tasmanian Government. Generally, areas south of and including Oatlands are considered southern Tasmania for Royal Hobart Regatta purposes.

What this means for employers: If your business operates across both southern and northern Tasmania, you will have different teams entitled to different public holidays on different days. You need to confirm which region each workplace falls within and apply the correct entitlements accordingly.

Recreation Day

Recreation Day is observed on the first Monday of November each year. In 2026, this falls on Monday 2 November.

This holiday applies exclusively to northern Tasmania and serves as the northern counterpart to the Royal Hobart Regatta:

Workers in northern Tasmania receive Recreation Day instead of the Royal Hobart Regatta.
The intent is to ensure that northern and southern workers receive the same total number of public holidays per year, even though the specific days differ.
Recreation Day applies to all employees whose principal workplace is in the northern part of the state.

Eight Hours Day (Labour Day)

While most Australian states call it Labour Day, Tasmania uses the name Eight Hours Day, reflecting the historical campaign for an eight-hour working day. In 2026, Eight Hours Day falls on Monday 9 March.

Key points:

Eight Hours Day applies to all of Tasmania with no regional variations.
It is Tasmania’s equivalent of Labour Day, which other states observe on different dates throughout the year.
The holiday commemorates the achievement of the eight-hour working day in Australia, a movement that had strong roots in Tasmania.

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The Regional Split: Southern vs Northern Tasmania

Tasmania’s regional public holiday split is one of the most significant employer considerations in the state. Here is a summary of how the split works:

Region	Regional Holiday	Date
Southern Tasmania	Royal Hobart Regatta	Monday 9 February
Northern Tasmania	Recreation Day	First Monday in November

Practical Implications for Employers

Multi-site businesses: If you have offices, stores, or worksites in both southern and northern Tasmania, you must track two separate public holiday calendars.
Remote workers: For employees who work remotely, the applicable public holiday is determined by their principal place of work, not their home address. Clarify this in employment contracts.
Travelling workers: Employees who travel between regions should have their public holiday entitlements determined by the location of their principal workplace.
Payroll systems: Ensure your payroll system can handle regional public holiday variations within a single state.

Substitute Days: When Holidays Fall on Weekends

When a national public holiday falls on a weekend in Tasmania, the following substitute day rules generally apply:

Anzac Day on a Saturday (2026): When Anzac Day falls on a Saturday, no substitute public holiday is provided. Employees who would ordinarily work on Saturday are entitled to their public holiday entitlements for that day, but there is no additional Monday off.
Christmas Day or Boxing Day on a weekend: Standard substitute day rules apply. If Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday becomes the substitute public holiday. If Boxing Day falls on a Sunday, the following Tuesday becomes the substitute.

For 2026, the main substitute day consideration is Anzac Day falling on a Saturday. Always check the Tasmanian Government gazette or the Fair Work Ombudsman website for confirmed substitute dates.

Penalty Rates on Public Holidays in Tasmania

Employees who work on a public holiday in Tasmania are entitled to penalty rates under their applicable modern award or enterprise agreement. Typical rates include:

Employment Type	Common Penalty Rate
Full-time	200%—250% of ordinary rate
Part-time	200%—250% of ordinary rate
Casual	250%—275% of ordinary rate (inclusive of casual loading)

Key Award Examples

Hospitality Industry (General) Award: 225% for full-time/part-time, 250% for casuals
General Retail Industry Award: 225% for full-time/part-time, 250% for casuals
Health Professionals and Support Services Award: 250% for full-time/part-time

Important: These rates apply to state-specific and regional public holidays (Easter Tuesday, Royal Hobart Regatta, Recreation Day, Eight Hours Day) in exactly the same way as they apply to national public holidays. There is no distinction in penalty rate obligations between national, state, and regional holidays.

Can You Require Employees to Work on Public Holidays?

Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers can request employees to work on a public holiday, but the request must be reasonable. Employees can refuse if their refusal is also reasonable.

Factors That Determine Reasonableness

The Fair Work Act lists several factors:

Nature of the business: Hospitals, restaurants, and retail stores routinely operate on public holidays.
Employee’s role: Is their presence essential?
Personal circumstances: Family commitments, religious observance, or caring responsibilities.
Compensation: Whether penalty rates or other benefits are being offered.
Notice provided: Adequate notice strengthens the case for reasonableness.
Past patterns: Has the employee previously agreed to work public holidays?

Practical Recommendations

Identify early in the year which public holidays your business will operate on.
Discuss public holiday rosters with employees well in advance.
Document preferences and agreements in writing.
Ensure all penalty rates and entitlements are clearly communicated.
Be flexible where possible — forcing unwilling employees to work on public holidays creates morale and compliance risks.

Employer Obligations: Summary

Tasmanian employers must:

Pay employees for public holiday absences: Full-time and part-time employees who would ordinarily work on a public holiday are entitled to their ordinary pay for that day.
Pay correct penalty rates: Employees who work on a public holiday must receive the applicable penalty rate.
Keep accurate records: Timesheets, payslips, and rosters must clearly reflect public holiday work and payments.
Understand regional variations: Royal Hobart Regatta and Recreation Day obligations differ between southern and northern Tasmania.
Track Easter Tuesday: This state-specific holiday adds a fifth day to the Easter break and carries full penalty rate obligations.
Respect reasonable refusals: Do not penalise employees who reasonably refuse to work on public holidays.

Planning Tips for Tasmanian Employers in 2026

The Easter Five-Day Break

With Easter Tuesday being a public holiday in Tasmania, the Easter period creates a five-day run of public holidays (Friday to Tuesday). This is the longest Easter break in Australia and will have a significant impact on staffing.

Many employees will request Wednesday 8 April and beyond as annual leave to extend the break even further.
Tourism-heavy businesses in Tasmania should expect high demand during this period and plan penalty rate budgets accordingly.
Set clear deadlines for leave requests around Easter well in advance to avoid last-minute roster shortfalls.

The February and November Regional Split

The Royal Hobart Regatta (February) and Recreation Day (November) create two separate points in the year where different parts of your workforce may be entitled to time off.

February: Southern Tasmanian workers get the Royal Hobart Regatta off, while northern workers continue as normal.
November: Northern Tasmanian workers get Recreation Day off, while southern workers continue as normal.
If you run a single roster across the state, you will need to build in flexibility for these regional holidays.

Managing Bridge Days

Tasmanian employees will often request annual leave to create extended breaks around public holidays. Common bridge day requests in 2026:

The Wednesday after Easter Tuesday (8 April) to create an even longer break
Days around the Queen’s Birthday weekend in June
The week between Christmas and New Year

Set clear policies and deadlines for leave requests around these periods. A first-come, first-served approach or a rotating roster helps maintain fairness across the team.

Cross-State Workforce Considerations

If your business operates across multiple states, remember that Tasmanian public holidays differ from those in other states. For example:

Tasmania is the only state that observes Easter Tuesday, giving workers five public holidays over Easter instead of three or four.
The Royal Hobart Regatta and Recreation Day have no equivalent in other states.
Tasmania calls Labour Day “Eight Hours Day” and observes it in March, while other states observe it at different times under different names.
Victoria observes Queen’s Birthday in June (same as Tasmania), while Queensland observes it in October and Western Australia in September.

Ensure your leave management system can handle state-specific and regional public holiday calendars to avoid underpayments or incorrect leave deductions.