Victoria's 2026 Public Holidays: 13 Days Off in Melbourne
Plan ahead with the complete 2026 Victorian public holiday calendar, including Easter, Melbourne Cup Day, AFL Grand Final Eve and all state-wide holidays.
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Victoria Public Holidays 2026 — Complete Calendar
Victorian public holidays in 2026 apply to employees across Melbourne and all of Victoria. Victoria has several unique public holidays not observed in other states, including AFL Grand Final Eve (Friday before the AFL Grand Final) and Melbourne Cup Day (Tuesday, first week of November — applies in the Melbourne metropolitan area and some regional areas).
| Date | Day | Public Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day |
| 26 January 2026 | Monday | Australia Day |
| 9 March 2026 | Monday | Labour Day |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 4 April 2026 | Saturday | Easter Saturday |
| 5 April 2026 | Sunday | Easter Sunday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 27 April 2026 | Monday | Anzac Day (substitute — Anzac Day falls Saturday 25 April) |
| 8 June 2026 | Monday | King's Birthday |
| TBA Sept/Oct 2026 | Friday | AFL Grand Final Eve (day before the AFL Grand Final) |
| 3 November 2026 | Tuesday | Melbourne Cup Day (Melbourne metro and designated areas) |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute — Boxing Day falls Saturday 26 December) |
Notes on Victorian Public Holidays 2026
- AFL Grand Final Eve — The Friday before the AFL Grand Final is a public holiday in Victoria. The AFL Grand Final date for 2026 will be confirmed by the AFL during the 2026 season. This holiday is unique to Victoria.
- Melbourne Cup Day — Melbourne Cup Day on the first Tuesday of November is a public holiday in the Melbourne metropolitan area and designated regional areas. Some regional Victorian areas do not observe Melbourne Cup Day — check the Victorian Government website for the list of declared areas.
- Labour Day — Victoria observes Labour Day on the second Monday in March. Most other states observe Labour Day at different times of year.
Employee Rights on Victoria Public Holidays
For information on employee entitlements on Victorian public holidays, visit the Fair Work Commission at fairwork.gov.au or the Victorian Government at vic.gov.au.
This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.
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