Public Holidays & Special Celebrations
Australians hold certain days each year as special days of national meaning. Most States and Territories observe some of the public holidays on the same date. They have others on different dates or have some days that only their State or Territory celebrates.
In larger cities, most shops, restaurants and public transport continue to operate on public holidays. In smaller towns, most shops and restaurants close.
New Year
Australians love to celebrate New Year. There are festivals, celebrations and parties all over the country to welcome in the New Year. Sydney Harbour and Sydney Harbour Bridge have become synonymous with New Year celebrations in Australia the fireworks display is considered to be one of the best in the world. January 1 is a public holiday.
Australia Day
Australia Day, January 26, is the official national day of Australia. The date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove, NSW in 1788.
Easter
Easter commemorates the resurrection (return to life) of Jesus Christ following his death by crucifixion. It is the most significant event of the Christian calendar.
In addition to its religious significance, Easter in Australia is enjoyed as a four-day holiday weekend starting on Good Friday and ending on Easter Monday. Easter is the busiest time for domestic air travel in Australia, and a very popular time for gatherings such as weddings and christenings.
Hot Cross Buns: Hot cross buns are sweet, spiced buns made with dried fruit and leavened with yeast. A cross, the symbol of Christ, is placed on top of the buns, either with pastry or a simple mixture of flour and water. The buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday; however in Australia they are available in bakeries and stores many weeks before Easter.
Easter Eggs: Eggs, symbolising new life, have long been associated with the Easter festival. Easter eggs are traditionally eaten on Easter Sunday, however stores start stocking Easter treats well before the Easter holiday period.
The Easter Bunny: Early on Easter Sunday morning, the Easter Bunny 'delivers' chocolate Easter eggs to children in Australia, as he does in many parts of the world.
Anzac Day
Anzac Day is on 25 April the day the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed at Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915 during World War 1. This day is set apart to hold the memory of those who fought for our nation and those who lost their life to war. Many Australians attend the National War Memorial in Canberra, or a War Memorial in one of the Capital Cities around Australia for either the traditional "Dawn Service", which commemorates the landing of the ANZAC at Gallipoli in the dark and dawning of that day, or another service usually commencing around morning with a parade of returned armed forces representing all Australians who have fought in war.
Anzac Day is the only day of the year where it may also be possible to attend an RSL (Returned Servicemen's League) Club to experience a traditional game of "TWO-UP". It is a traditional Australian gambling game, involving a designated 'Spinner' throwing two coins or pennies into the air. Players gamble on whether the coins will fall with both (obverse) heads up, both (reverse) tails up, or with one coin a head, and one a tail (known as 'Odds').. RSL clubs are crammed with returned soldiers and their families and friends on this day. The atmosphere is one of "mate-ship" and friendliness to all and the experience of a game of two-up is a memorable one.
Labor Day
Labor Day is celebrated on different dates throughout Australia. As elsewhere in the world, Labor Day originated in Australia as a means of giving 'working people' a day off and recognising the roots of trade unionist movements and workers' rights.
Queen's Birthday
The Queen's Birthday holiday celebrates the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II who is not only Queen of the United Kingdom but also Queen of Australia, where the Queen's Birthday is a public holiday celebrated on a Monday but on different dates. Having the Queen's Birthday on a Monday, results in a three-day long weekend.
Melbourne Cup Day
The Melbourne Cup is a 2 mile international horse race run on the first Tuesday of November each year attracting the fines racehorses from around the world. Known as the "race that stops a Nation" due to a Public Holiday being declared in metropolitan Melbourne in its home State of Victoria, and most of the nation whether at work, school or home, stopping to watch the race broadcast on television. In other places, and mainly in the workplace, many people have a celebratory "Cup Day Breakfast", lunch, party or barbeque to celebrate Melbourne Cup. It is traditional to run a "Cup Sweep" where everyone wages an amount per hourse to create a total prize tool. The names of the horses entering the race are drawn and matched randomly, one by one to the list of people waging money. After the race is won, the prize pool is divided into amounts for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd, and usually a small amount for last place, or horses scratched due to injury just before the race. The Melbourne Cup forms part of the "Spring Rancing Carnival" which attracts celebrities from around the world. Women dress in their best outfits; hats are definitely the order of any day, gentlemen in suits of all sorts, and assorted other customers. It is a very colorful time to be in Melbourne.
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated in Australia on 25 December. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. On Christmas Day family and friends gather to exchange gifts and enjoy Christmas food. Australians are as likely to eat freshly caught seafood outdoors at a barbeque, as to have a traditional roast dinner around a dining table. Many Australians spend Christmas out of doors, going to the beach for the day, or heading to camping grounds for a longer break over the Christmas holiday period. There are often places which have developed an international reputation for overseas visitors to spend Christmas Day in Australia. One such example is for visitors who are in Sydney at Christmas time to got to Bondi Beach where up to 40,000 people visit on Christmas Day.
Carols by Candlelight events have become a huge Christmas tradition in Australia. Christmas in Australia is also associated with two major sporting events:
- The Boxing Day Test: December 26 is the opening day of the traditional 'Boxing Day Test' at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) between the Australian Cricket Team and an international touring side. It is the most anticipated cricket match each year in world cricket, and tickets are usually sold out months in advance.
- The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: is Australia's most prestigious yachting race and on the calendar of international yacht racing, and begins 26 December in beautiful Sydney Harbour.
More information about public holidays across Australia can be found on: http://australia.gov.au/topics/australian-facts-and-figures/public-holidays
In larger cities, most shops, restaurants and public transport continue to operate on public holidays. In smaller towns, most shops and restaurants close.
New Year
Australians love to celebrate New Year. There are festivals, celebrations and parties all over the country to welcome in the New Year. Sydney Harbour and Sydney Harbour Bridge have become synonymous with New Year celebrations in Australia the fireworks display is considered to be one of the best in the world. January 1 is a public holiday.
Australia Day
Australia Day, January 26, is the official national day of Australia. The date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove, NSW in 1788.
Easter
Easter commemorates the resurrection (return to life) of Jesus Christ following his death by crucifixion. It is the most significant event of the Christian calendar.
In addition to its religious significance, Easter in Australia is enjoyed as a four-day holiday weekend starting on Good Friday and ending on Easter Monday. Easter is the busiest time for domestic air travel in Australia, and a very popular time for gatherings such as weddings and christenings.
Hot Cross Buns: Hot cross buns are sweet, spiced buns made with dried fruit and leavened with yeast. A cross, the symbol of Christ, is placed on top of the buns, either with pastry or a simple mixture of flour and water. The buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday; however in Australia they are available in bakeries and stores many weeks before Easter.
Easter Eggs: Eggs, symbolising new life, have long been associated with the Easter festival. Easter eggs are traditionally eaten on Easter Sunday, however stores start stocking Easter treats well before the Easter holiday period.
The Easter Bunny: Early on Easter Sunday morning, the Easter Bunny 'delivers' chocolate Easter eggs to children in Australia, as he does in many parts of the world.
Anzac Day
Anzac Day is on 25 April the day the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed at Gallipoli in Turkey in 1915 during World War 1. This day is set apart to hold the memory of those who fought for our nation and those who lost their life to war. Many Australians attend the National War Memorial in Canberra, or a War Memorial in one of the Capital Cities around Australia for either the traditional "Dawn Service", which commemorates the landing of the ANZAC at Gallipoli in the dark and dawning of that day, or another service usually commencing around morning with a parade of returned armed forces representing all Australians who have fought in war.
Anzac Day is the only day of the year where it may also be possible to attend an RSL (Returned Servicemen's League) Club to experience a traditional game of "TWO-UP". It is a traditional Australian gambling game, involving a designated 'Spinner' throwing two coins or pennies into the air. Players gamble on whether the coins will fall with both (obverse) heads up, both (reverse) tails up, or with one coin a head, and one a tail (known as 'Odds').. RSL clubs are crammed with returned soldiers and their families and friends on this day. The atmosphere is one of "mate-ship" and friendliness to all and the experience of a game of two-up is a memorable one.
Labor Day
Labor Day is celebrated on different dates throughout Australia. As elsewhere in the world, Labor Day originated in Australia as a means of giving 'working people' a day off and recognising the roots of trade unionist movements and workers' rights.
Queen's Birthday
The Queen's Birthday holiday celebrates the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II who is not only Queen of the United Kingdom but also Queen of Australia, where the Queen's Birthday is a public holiday celebrated on a Monday but on different dates. Having the Queen's Birthday on a Monday, results in a three-day long weekend.
Melbourne Cup Day
The Melbourne Cup is a 2 mile international horse race run on the first Tuesday of November each year attracting the fines racehorses from around the world. Known as the "race that stops a Nation" due to a Public Holiday being declared in metropolitan Melbourne in its home State of Victoria, and most of the nation whether at work, school or home, stopping to watch the race broadcast on television. In other places, and mainly in the workplace, many people have a celebratory "Cup Day Breakfast", lunch, party or barbeque to celebrate Melbourne Cup. It is traditional to run a "Cup Sweep" where everyone wages an amount per hourse to create a total prize tool. The names of the horses entering the race are drawn and matched randomly, one by one to the list of people waging money. After the race is won, the prize pool is divided into amounts for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd, and usually a small amount for last place, or horses scratched due to injury just before the race. The Melbourne Cup forms part of the "Spring Rancing Carnival" which attracts celebrities from around the world. Women dress in their best outfits; hats are definitely the order of any day, gentlemen in suits of all sorts, and assorted other customers. It is a very colorful time to be in Melbourne.
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated in Australia on 25 December. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. On Christmas Day family and friends gather to exchange gifts and enjoy Christmas food. Australians are as likely to eat freshly caught seafood outdoors at a barbeque, as to have a traditional roast dinner around a dining table. Many Australians spend Christmas out of doors, going to the beach for the day, or heading to camping grounds for a longer break over the Christmas holiday period. There are often places which have developed an international reputation for overseas visitors to spend Christmas Day in Australia. One such example is for visitors who are in Sydney at Christmas time to got to Bondi Beach where up to 40,000 people visit on Christmas Day.
Carols by Candlelight events have become a huge Christmas tradition in Australia. Christmas in Australia is also associated with two major sporting events:
- The Boxing Day Test: December 26 is the opening day of the traditional 'Boxing Day Test' at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) between the Australian Cricket Team and an international touring side. It is the most anticipated cricket match each year in world cricket, and tickets are usually sold out months in advance.
- The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: is Australia's most prestigious yachting race and on the calendar of international yacht racing, and begins 26 December in beautiful Sydney Harbour.
More information about public holidays across Australia can be found on: http://australia.gov.au/topics/australian-facts-and-figures/public-holidays
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