Public and bank holidays in South Australia are prescribed by the Public Holidays Act 2023. This Act commenced on 1 January 2024 and replaces the Holidays Act 1910.

2025 South Australia’s public holidays and school holidays

Wednesday 1 January: New Year's Day

Monday 27 January: Australia Day public holiday

Tuesday 28 January: School year commences

Monday 10 March: Adelaide Cup Day

Saturday 12 April – Sunday 27 April: School Holidays - Term 1

Friday 18 April: Good Friday

Saturday 19 April: Easter Saturday

Sunday 20 April: Easter Sunday

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 holiday and Boxing Day

Wednesday 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 2024-2027 public holiday dates

25 December (Christmas Day) & 1 January (New Year’s Day)

• When 25 December and 1 January fall on a Saturday or Sunday, that day and the following Monday are public holidays.

26 December (Proclamation Day holiday)

• South Australia’s Proclamation Day is 28 December, however the Proclamation Day holiday is observed on
  26 December. There is an additional public holiday when the following occurs.
  • When 26 December falls on a Saturday, that day and the following Monday are public holidays.
  • When 26 December falls on a Sunday or Monday, that day and the following Tuesday are public holidays.

26 January (Australia Day)

• When 26 January falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is a public holiday instead of that day.

25 April (ANZAC Day)

• 25 April is a public holiday regardless of what day of the week it falls.
• There is no substitute or additional public holiday when 25 April falls on a Saturday or Sunday.

Easter

• From 1 January 2024 Easter Sunday is a public holiday, therefore all four days of Easter are now public holidays.

Bank holidays

• All public holidays and Sundays are taken to be bank holidays. All ADIs (authorised deposit-taking institutions) must 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

• Easter Saturday is a public holiday but is a normal day of Saturday trading in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District.
• Non-exempt shops in the Greater Adelaide Shopping District can trade from 9.00am to 5.00pm on the additional public holiday when New Year’s Day, Christmas Day and Proclamation Day holiday fall on a Saturday or Sunday (or Monday in the case of Proclamation Day holiday). Refer to Christmas trading arrangements for more details when this occurs.
• 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.
• Refer to Retail trading hours for more information about public holiday trading arrangements.

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.