Public and bank holidays in South Australia are prescribed by the Holidays Act 1910.

Please direct all enquiries relating to rates of pay and entitlements for the South Australian private sector workforce to the Fair Work Ombudsman. SafeWork SA is unable to provide advice regarding rates of pay and entitlements, including those for public holidays.

South Australia's public holidays

Download the 2021-2023 public holiday dates

Download the public holiday dates since 2007

Download iCalendar 2020-2024 public holiday dates (also includes school holiday dates)

Note: The dates in this calendar are the days the public holiday is observed.

# 2021 Anzac Day: With regard to the National Workplace Relations System (SA's private sector workforce), the Fair Work Ombudsman has determined that public holiday entitlements apply to both Sunday 25 April and Monday 26 April. SA private sector employers should take note of industrial relations laws governing work on public holidays.

* Since 2006 the Adelaide Cup public holiday has been changed each year by Proclamation (by the SA Government) from the third Monday in May to the second Monday in March to coincide with the change in date of the horse race.

^ 2021 Christmas Day: The Holidays Act in South Australia declares that when Christmas Day falls on a Saturday the following Monday will be a public holiday instead of that day. This means that in 2021 Christmas Day is not designated as a public holiday for industrial purposes whilst noting that other laws (e.g. shop trading and gaming machines) still restrict certain activities on Christmas Day. Many industrial awards and agreements include specific provisions for Christmas Day. To check your award or agreement: Private sector see the Fair Work Ombudsman website; Public and Local Government sectors see the SAET website.

† 2021 Boxing Day / Proclamation Day: With regard to the National Workplace Relations System (SA's private sector workforce), the Fair Work Ombudsman has determined that public holiday entitlements apply to both Sunday 26 December and Tuesday 28 December. SA private sector employers should take note of industrial relations laws governing work on public holidays.

⁺ 2022 New Year's Day: The Holidays Act in South Australia declares that when 1 January falls on a Saturday the following Monday will be a public holiday instead of that day. This means that in 2022 New Year's Day is not designated as a public holiday. Some industrial awards and agreements may include specific provisions for New Year's Day. To check your award or agreement: Private sector see the Fair Work Ombudsman website; Public and Local Government sectors see the SAET website.

Note: School holiday dates are added for reference only and are not under SafeWork SA jurisdiction.

Bank holidays

• All public holidays are also a bank holiday and all authorised deposit-taking institutions will be closed on bank holidays.

Saturdays

• When 1 January, 26 January, 25 December & 26 December fall on a Saturday the public holiday moves to the following Monday therefore the Saturday is not a public holiday but is still a bank holiday.

Sundays

• The Holidays Act 1910 (SA) prescribes every Sunday to be a public holiday.
• For industrial purposes, the Sunday provisions contained in an Award or Enterprise Agreement will generally prevail over the public holiday provisions unless stated otherwise.
• When New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Anzac Day and Christmas Day fall on a Sunday, that day and the following Monday will be public holidays and bank holidays.
• When 26 December (Proclamation Day public holiday) falls on a Sunday or a Monday, that day and the following Tuesday will be public holidays and bank holidays.
• Enquiries relating to public holiday rates of pay and entitlements for the National Workplace Relations System (SA's private sector workforce) should be directed to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Part-day public holidays

• A person who works between the hours of 7pm and 12 midnight on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve is entitled to the public holiday rates provided by the relevant Award or Enterprise Agreement. This is still the case when those days fall on a Saturday or a Sunday.
• As with other public holidays for workers covered by the national workplace relations system, the Public Holidays National Employment Standard applies during the times of a part-day public holiday.
• Individuals should check their award/agreement for further details on part-day public holidays.

Impact on shop trading hours

• The definition of public holiday under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 (SA) does not include a Sunday.
• There are however certain trading restrictions applicable to Easter Sunday and when 25 December, 26 December and 1 January fall on a Saturday or Sunday in any year. Refer to Holiday trading arrangements for more details.
• The Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve part-day public holidays do not affect prescribed trading hours relevant to the day they fall in a given year.

Extended shop trading hours over public holidays

The Government may announce exemptions to shop trading hours in the lead up to Christmas and over the Christmas/New Year period. An important condition of the exemptions is that all employees working during these extended hours will do so on a strictly voluntary basis (that is, the worker must choose to do so).

Any worker who feels they are being made to work during hours to which exemptions apply can contact SafeWork SA on 1300 365 255 for assistance and advice.

Enquiries relating to rates of pay and entitlements for working on public holidays should be directed to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Industrial relations

The Fair Work Ombudsman has industrial jurisdiction for the South Australian private sector workforce. Enquiries relating to rates of pay and entitlements for working on public holidays should be directed to the Fair Work Ombudsman.