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.
2023 South Australia’s public holidays and school holidays
Sunday 1 January: New Year's Day
Monday 2 January: New Year's Day (additional day)
Thursday 26 January: Australia Day
Monday 30 January: School year commences
Monday 13 March: Adelaide Cup Day
Friday 7 April: Good Friday
Saturday 8 April: Easter Saturday
Monday 10 April: Easter Monday
Saturday 15 April – Sunday 30 April: School Holidays - Term 1
Tuesday 25 April: Anzac Day
Monday 12 June: King’s Birthday
Saturday 8 July – Saturday 23 July: School Holidays - Term 2
Saturday 30 September – Sunday 15 October: School Holidays - Term 3
Monday 2 October: Labour Day
Saturday 16 December – Sunday 28 January: School Holidays - Term 4
Sunday 24 December: Christmas Eve: 7pm to midnight
Monday 25 December: Christmas Day
Tuesday 26 December: Proclamation Day public holiday and Boxing Day
Sunday 31 December: New Year's Eve: 7pm to midnight
Monday 1 January: New Year's Day
Friday 26 January: Australia Day
Monday 11 March: Adelaide Cup Day (subject to Proclamation)
Friday 29 March: Good Friday
Saturday 30 March: Easter Saturday
Monday 1 April: Easter Monday
Saturday 13 April – Sunday 28 April: School Holidays - Term 1
Thursday 25 April: Anzac Day
Monday 10 June: King’s Birthday
Saturday 6 July – Sunday 21 July: School Holidays - Term 2
Saturday 28 September – Sunday 13 October: School Holidays - Term 3
Monday 7 October: Labour Day
Saturday 14 December – Monday 27 January: School Holidays - Term 4
Tuesday 24 December: Christmas Eve: 7pm to midnight
Wednesday 25 December: Christmas Day
Thursday 26 December: Proclamation Day public holiday and Boxing Day
Tuesday 31 December: New Year's Eve: 7pm to midnight
Wednesday 1 January: New Year's Day
Sunday 26 January: Australia Day
Monday 27 January: Australia Day (additional day)
Monday 10 March: Adelaide Cup Day (subject to Proclamation)
Saturday 12 April – Sunday 27 April: School Holidays - Term 1
Friday 18 April: Good Friday
Saturday 19 April: Easter Saturday
Monday 21 April: Easter Monday
Friday 25 April: Anzac Day
Monday 9 June: King’s Birthday
Saturday 5 July – Sunday 20 July: School Holidays - Term 2
Saturday 27 September – Sunday 12 October: School Holidays - Term 3
Monday 6 October: Labour Day
Saturday 13 December – Monday 26 January: School Holidays - Term 4
Wednesday 24 December: Christmas Eve: 7pm to midnight
Thursday 25 December: Christmas Day
Friday 26 December: Proclamation Day public holiday and Boxing Day
Wednesday 31 December: New Year's Eve: 7pm to midnight
Monday 3 January: New Year's Day public holiday
Wednesday 26 January: Australia Day
Monday 14 March: Adelaide Cup Day
Friday 15 April: Good Friday
Saturday 16 April: Easter Saturday
Monday 18 April: Easter Monday
Friday 15 April – Sunday 1 May: School Holidays - Term 1
Monday 25 April: Anzac Day
Monday 13 June: Queen’s Birthday
Saturday 9 July – Sunday 24 July: School Holidays - Term 2
Thursday 22 September: National Day of Mourning for Queen Elizabeth II
Saturday 1 October – Sunday 16 October: School Holidays - Term 3
Monday 3 October: Labour Day
Saturday 17 December – Sunday 29 January: School Holidays - Term 4
Saturday 24 December: Christmas Eve: 7pm to midnight
Sunday 25 December: Christmas Day
Monday 26 December: Christmas Day (additional day) and Boxing Day
Tuesday 27 December: Proclamation Day public holiday
Saturday 31 December: New Year's Eve: 7pm to midnight
Note: School holiday dates are added for reference only and are not under SafeWork SA jurisdiction.
More information:
- Download the 2021-2024 public holiday dates
- Download iCalendar 2020-2024 public holiday dates (also includes school holiday dates)
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
- 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.
- The Holidays Act 1910 (SA) prescribes every ordinary 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.
- 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.
Bank holidays
- All public holidays are also a bank holiday and all authorised deposit-taking institutions will be closed on bank holidays.
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 Christmas 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 Christmas 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.