Australian public holiday guide

Easter Dates and Public Holidays in Australia

Easter changes every year, which makes it one of Australia’s most searched public holiday periods. This page explains when Easter falls, which days are public holidays, how the rules differ by state and territory, and how to plan the Easter long weekend.

Easter changes every year Good Friday and Easter Monday State rules differ Year pages recommended

Quick answer

Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays across Australia. Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Tuesday rules vary by state and territory.

When is Easter next year?

Easter 2027 falls on Sunday 28 March. Good Friday is Friday 26 March 2027 and Easter Monday is Monday 29 March 2027.

Should Easter have year pages?

Yes. Easter should have individual year pages because people search by year. The main Easter page should link to Easter 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031 pages.

Easter dates in Australia 2026 to 2031

Use this table to check Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday dates for upcoming years. Easter Sunday changes every year, so this table is one of the most important planning tools on the site.

Year Good Friday Easter Saturday Easter Sunday Easter Monday Easter Tuesday
2026 Friday 3 April 2026 Saturday 4 April 2026 Sunday 5 April 2026 Monday 6 April 2026 Tuesday 7 April 2026
2027 Friday 26 March 2027 Saturday 27 March 2027 Sunday 28 March 2027 Monday 29 March 2027 Tuesday 30 March 2027
2028 Friday 14 April 2028 Saturday 15 April 2028 Sunday 16 April 2028 Monday 17 April 2028 Tuesday 18 April 2028
2029 Friday 30 March 2029 Saturday 31 March 2029 Sunday 1 April 2029 Monday 2 April 2029 Tuesday 3 April 2029
2030 Friday 19 April 2030 Saturday 20 April 2030 Sunday 21 April 2030 Monday 22 April 2030 Tuesday 23 April 2030
2031 Friday 11 April 2031 Saturday 12 April 2031 Sunday 13 April 2031 Monday 14 April 2031 Tuesday 15 April 2031

Important: Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays across Australia. Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Tuesday are not treated the same way in every state and territory.

Easter year pages

Because Easter changes every year, separate Easter year pages are the right SEO move. They give the site better coverage for searches like “Easter 2027 dates Australia”, “Good Friday 2028”, “Easter Sunday 2029 Australia”, and “Easter public holidays 2030”.

Easter public holiday rules by state and territory

The biggest Easter public holiday differences are around Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Tuesday. Good Friday and Easter Monday are the safest national planning dates, but weekend and Tuesday rules must be checked by state or territory.

State or territory Good Friday Easter Saturday Easter Sunday Easter Monday Easter Tuesday
NSW Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday
Victoria Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday
Queensland Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday
Western Australia Public holiday Not a standard public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday
South Australia Public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday
Tasmania Public holiday Not a standard public holiday Not a standard public holiday Public holiday Applies to some employees and arrangements
ACT Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday
Northern Territory Public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday Public holiday Not a standard public holiday

Plain-English answer: Every state and territory has Good Friday and Easter Monday. Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Tuesday are where the differences appear.

Why Easter changes every year

Easter does not have a fixed calendar date like Christmas Day or Australia Day. In Western Christianity, Easter Sunday is calculated using the first Sunday after the first full moon after the March equinox. That means Easter can fall in late March or April.

Earliest and latest range

Easter Sunday can fall in late March or late April. This is why school holidays, public holidays and annual leave planning need to be checked each year.

Good Friday follows Easter Sunday

Good Friday is always two days before Easter Sunday. Easter Monday is always the day after Easter Sunday.

Public holidays follow the Easter date

Once Easter Sunday is known, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday dates can be calculated for that year.

What days are included in the Easter long weekend?

For most Australians, the Easter long weekend runs from Good Friday to Easter Monday. That creates a four-day break in every state and territory, although the official treatment of Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday differs.

Good Friday

Good Friday is a public holiday across Australia and is the first day of the Easter long weekend for most workers.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is the central Christian feast day of Easter. It is a public holiday in some states and territories but not all.

Easter Monday

Easter Monday is a public holiday across Australia and usually completes the four-day Easter long weekend.

Easter meaning and Australian traditions

Easter is one of the most important Christian observances, marking the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Australia, Easter is also a major family, travel, camping, school holiday and community event period.

Christian significance

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, while Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection.

Family and travel

The four-day break makes Easter one of Australia’s busiest travel periods for camping, beach trips, regional holidays and family visits.

School holidays

Easter often overlaps or sits close to school holidays, which increases demand for accommodation, flights, caravan parks and family activities.

Easter planning tips for workers, businesses and families

Easter affects public holiday pay, penalty rates, retail trading, travel demand, school holiday planning and family events. Because state rules differ, businesses and families should check the relevant public holiday calendar before making final plans.

For employees

Public holiday entitlements depend on your state, award, agreement, employment type and whether the day is normally a work day for you.

For employers

Check Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday rules before finalising rosters, trading hours, payroll and customer notices.

For families and travellers

Easter accommodation, flights, camping sites and attractions can book out early. Plan ahead, especially when Easter overlaps school holidays.

State public holiday calendars

Use these state and territory pages to check the exact Easter public holiday rules that apply where you live, work or travel.

Related public holiday pages

Official Easter and public holiday sources

Use this page for general planning and quick answers. For payroll, penalty rates, retail trading, workplace closure notices or travel decisions, check the relevant official public holiday source for your state or territory.

Easter public holidays FAQs

When is Easter 2027 in Australia?

Easter Sunday 2027 is Sunday 28 March. Good Friday is Friday 26 March 2027 and Easter Monday is Monday 29 March 2027.

When is Easter 2028?

Easter Sunday 2028 is Sunday 16 April. Good Friday is Friday 14 April 2028 and Easter Monday is Monday 17 April 2028.

Is Good Friday a public holiday in Australia?

Yes. Good Friday is a public holiday in every Australian state and territory.

Is Easter Monday a public holiday in Australia?

Yes. Easter Monday is a public holiday in every Australian state and territory.

Is Easter Saturday a public holiday?

Easter Saturday is a public holiday in some states and territories, including NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory. Western Australia and Tasmania generally do not list Easter Saturday as a standard public holiday.

Is Easter Sunday a public holiday?

Easter Sunday is a public holiday in some states and territories, including NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT. It is not treated the same way in every state and territory.

Is Easter Tuesday a public holiday?

Easter Tuesday is mainly relevant in Tasmania, where it applies to some employees and arrangements. It is not a standard public holiday across Australia.

Why does Easter change every year?

Easter changes because Easter Sunday is calculated using the first Sunday after the first full moon after the March equinox. That places Easter in late March or April each year.

Should Easter have a separate page for each year?

Yes. Easter should have year pages because many people search for a specific year, such as Easter 2027, Easter 2028 or Easter 2030. The main Easter page should link to those year pages.

Can businesses use this page for planning?

Use this page for general planning and quick date checks. Businesses should confirm Easter public holiday dates and rules with the official public holiday source for their state or territory.