Victoria has one of the most interesting public holiday calendars in Australia. Beyond the standard national holidays, Victorian employers need to navigate Melbourne Cup Day, the AFL Grand Final Friday, and regional variations that can trip up even experienced HR teams.

This guide covers every Victorian public holiday for 2026, explains the regional differences, 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 Victorian Public Holidays in 2026

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

Date	Holiday	National or State
Thursday 1 January	New Year’s Day	National
Monday 26 January	Australia Day	National
Saturday 14 March	Labour Day	State
Friday 3 April	Good Friday	National
Saturday 4 April	Easter Saturday	National
Sunday 5 April	Easter Sunday	State
Monday 6 April	Easter Monday	National
Saturday 25 April	Anzac Day	National
Monday 8 June	Queen’s Birthday	State (Victoria observes in June)
Friday before AFL Grand Final (TBC)	AFL Grand Final Friday	State
Tuesday 3 November	Melbourne Cup Day	State (metro Melbourne / partial)
Thursday 25 December	Christmas Day	National
Friday 26 December	Boxing Day	National

Note: The AFL Grand Final Friday date depends on the AFL fixture. In recent years, the Grand Final has been held on the last Saturday in September, making the Friday before (typically late September) the public holiday. The exact 2026 date will be confirmed by the Victorian Government once the AFL schedule is finalised.

Victoria’s Unique Public Holidays

Melbourne Cup Day

Melbourne Cup Day is observed on the first Tuesday in November each year. In 2026, this falls on Tuesday 3 November.

However, this holiday has important regional variations:

Metropolitan Melbourne: Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday for all employees whose workplace is in the metropolitan Melbourne area.
Regional Victoria: Employers in regional areas may observe a local show day or alternative public holiday instead of Melbourne Cup Day. Each local government area (LGA) can substitute Melbourne Cup Day for a day that coincides with a local event, such as a regional agricultural show.

What this means for employers: If your business operates across both metro and regional Victoria, you may have different teams entitled to different public holidays on different days. You need to check which LGA each workplace falls within and confirm the applicable public holiday for that area.

AFL Grand Final Friday

The AFL Grand Final Friday was introduced as a Victorian public holiday in 2015. It applies to all of Victoria — there are no regional variations.

Key points for employers:

The date is not fixed and depends on the AFL season schedule.
It typically falls on the last Friday of September.
It applies to all employees whose principal workplace is in Victoria.
Some employers in industries that must operate (hospitality, retail, healthcare) will need to plan for penalty rate obligations.

Easter Sunday

Victoria is one of the states that observes Easter Sunday as a public holiday, in addition to Good Friday, Easter Saturday, and Easter Monday. This gives Victorian workers a four-day public holiday weekend over Easter.

Labour Day

Victoria observes Labour Day on the second Monday of March, unlike other states which observe it at different times. In 2026, Labour Day falls on Saturday 14 March. When Labour Day falls on a Saturday, a substitute public holiday may apply on the following Monday — check the Victorian Government gazette for the confirmed substitute day.

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Substitute Days: When Holidays Fall on Weekends

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

Anzac Day on a Saturday (2026): Unlike some other public holidays, Anzac Day does not attract a substitute Monday in Victoria when it falls on a Saturday.
Labour Day on a Saturday (2026): The substitute day arrangements will be confirmed by the Victorian Government. Typically, the following Monday becomes the substitute public holiday.
Christmas Day or Boxing Day on a weekend: Standard substitute day rules apply (Monday or Tuesday becomes the substitute).

For 2026, the main substitute day considerations are around Labour Day and Anzac Day. Always check the Victorian Government gazette or the Fair Work Ombudsman website for confirmed substitute dates.

Penalty Rates on Public Holidays in Victoria

Employees who work on a public holiday in Victoria 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 public holidays (Melbourne Cup Day, AFL Grand Final Friday) in exactly the same way as they apply to national public holidays. There is no distinction in penalty rate obligations between national and state 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

Victorian 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: Melbourne Cup Day obligations differ between metro Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Respect reasonable refusals: Do not penalise employees who reasonably refuse to work on public holidays.

Planning Tips for Victorian Employers in 2026

The Easter Four-Day Weekend

With Easter Sunday being a public holiday in Victoria, the Easter period creates a four-day run of public holidays (Friday to Monday). Many employees will also request the days before or after this period as annual leave. Plan rosters and staffing levels well ahead of time.

AFL Grand Final Friday and Melbourne Cup Day

These two state-specific holidays often catch employers off guard, particularly those who have relocated from other states or are managing national teams.

AFL Grand Final Friday: Plan for late September. Hospitality and entertainment venues in particular should budget for penalty rates.
Melbourne Cup Day: If you have staff across multiple Victorian locations, confirm which LGA each workplace falls within and whether they observe Melbourne Cup Day or a local alternative.

Managing Bridge Days

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

The Tuesday after Easter Monday (7 April) to create a five-day break
Days surrounding AFL Grand Final Friday
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 Victorian public holidays differ from those in other states. For example:

Victoria observes Queen’s Birthday in June, while Queensland observes it in October and Western Australia in September.
Melbourne Cup Day and AFL Grand Final Friday have no equivalent in other states.
Easter Sunday is not a public holiday in every state.

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