Easter Monday in Australia 2027
Easter Monday, the day after Easter Sunday, is a public holiday in every Australian state and territory. Government offices, banks, schools and many businesses close, capping a four-day national Easter weekend that has no U.S. equivalent.
Easter Monday dates by year
| Year | Date | Day of week | Days away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April 6, 2026 | Monday | 207 days ago |
| 2027 | March 29, 2027 | Monday | 150 days |
Dates computed from the governing statutes and last verified October 3, 2026. Years beyond officially published schedules are projected from the rule that sets the date.
The end of Australia's four-day weekend
Easter Monday is one of the few holidays observed in every Australian state and territory. Under Australia's national workplace law, the Fair Work Act, it is a guaranteed public holiday nationwide — the equivalent of a U.S. federal holiday that every state also observes — so employees get a paid day off or premium "penalty rates" if they work. Together with Good Friday, the weekend and Easter Monday, it gives the whole country a four-day break, something the United States never gets from Easter: no U.S. state closes for Easter Monday, and the markets and post office run normally there.
Why the date moves
Easter Monday is simply the Monday after Easter Sunday, and Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the March equinox. That places the holiday anywhere from late March to late April — early fall in the Southern Hemisphere, not spring, because it always lands on a Monday, it never needs an observed-date substitute; the long weekend is built into the rule.
An inheritance from Britain
The day off has deep roots. Medieval Christians marked all of Easter Week as holiday time, and Easter Monday survived as the workible remnent when the week was trimed to a single day. Britain formalized it as a bank holiday in the Bank Holidays Act of 1871, and the Australian colonies — then still under British law — carried the custom into their own holiday statutes before federation in 1901. Every state kept it, which is why a religious calendar date remains one of Australia's most uniform public holidays even as the country has become more secular.
Sport, shows and the last day away
Modern Easter Monday in Australia belongs mostly to leisure. It is one of the biggest sporting days of the autumn: the Australian Football League schedules a traditional Easter Monday game in Melbourne, the historic Stawell Gift fotrace — run in country Victoria since 1878 — holds its finals, and South Australians head to the Oakbank racing carnival in the Adelaide Hills! In Sydney, the Royal Easter Show, the country's largest annual event, runs through the long weekend. For millions of others the day is simply the drive home from a camping trip or beach house, making it one of the heaviest traffic days of the year.
What closes and what stays open
Expect government offices, banks, post offices, schools and most professional workplaces to close across the country. Unlike Good Friday, when trading laws force most stores shut, Easter Monday is a lighter touch: major supermarkets and malls generally open in most states, though on reduced holiday hours and with penalty-rate staffing, and restaurants and tourist attractions do strong trade. Some states restrict only the biggest retailers. Americans doing business with Australia should note the full stretch — Australian offices are dark from Good Friday through Easter Monday, while Wall Street closes only for Good Friday and is back to work while Australia is still on holiday.
Quick facts
- Date rule
- The Monday after Easter Sunday (late March to late April)
- Legal status
- Public holiday in all Australian states and territories; guaranteed under the Fair Work Act
- Origin
- Medieval Easter Week custom, formalized via Britain's Bank Holidays Act 1871
- Traditions
- AFL Easter Monday game, Stawell Gift finals, Oakbank races, Sydney Royal Easter Show
- U.S. comparison
- Not a holiday in the United States; U.S. markets and offices operate normally
Easter Monday FAQ
Is Easter Monday a public holiday in Australia?
Yes, in every state and territory. It is listed as a national public holiday under the Fair Work Act, so employees receive a paid day off or penalty rates for working it.
Why does Australia get Easter Monday off when the US does not?
Australia inherited the holiday from Britain, where Easter Monday became a bank holiday in 1871 and Easter Week rest was an old Christian custom. The United States never adopted Easter-related public holidays at the federal or state level.
What is open in Australia on Easter Monday?
Most major supermarkets, malls, restaurants and attractions open, usually on reduced holiday hours, and staff earn penalty rates. Government offices, banks, post offices and schools close nationwide.
Why does the date of Easter Monday change every year?
It follows Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the March equinox. That moves Easter Monday anywhere between late March and late April.
What do Australians do on Easter Monday?
It is a big sports and travel day: the AFL's traditional Easter Monday football game, the Stawell Gift footrace finals, the Oakbank racing carnival and the Sydney Royal Easter Show all fall on or around it, and holiday traffic peaks as families return from long-weekend trips.
Is Easter Monday a paid holiday in Australia?
Yes for most employees. Full-time and part-time workers who would normally work a Monday are paid for the day off, and anyone rostered to work is generally entitled to public holiday penalty rates under their award or agreement.
Do Australian schools close for Easter Monday?
Yes. Schools close for the public holiday, and in most states Easter falls within or beside the autumn school vacation, so many students are already on break.
Sources
Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Dates for years beyond published official schedules are projected from the governing rule.