Christmas & Boxing Day Trading Hours in Australia
Check Christmas and Boxing Day 2026 trading rules by state, with official sources and practical checks for Saturday and Monday shopping.
Photo by Leeloo The First on Pexels.
Christmas and Boxing Day shopping in 2026
Christmas Day is Friday 25 December 2026; Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December, with a Monday 28 December holiday in all eight jurisdictions. Public-holiday status and permission to open are separate questions. Check the exact store, date and locality before travelling: this guide does not confirm individual businesses' 2026 opening times.
| State/territory | Saturday 26 December | Monday 28 December |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Boxing Day — actual holiday | Boxing Day (additional public holiday) — additional holiday |
| Victoria | Boxing Day — actual holiday | Boxing Day (additional public holiday) — additional holiday |
| Queensland | Boxing Day — actual holiday | Boxing Day (additional public holiday) — additional holiday |
| South Australia | Proclamation Day holiday — actual holiday | Proclamation Day holiday (additional public holiday) — additional holiday |
| Western Australia | Boxing Day — actual holiday | Boxing Day (additional public holiday) — additional holiday |
| Tasmania | Weekend; no statewide public holiday | Boxing Day — substitute holiday |
| Northern Territory | Boxing Day — actual holiday | Boxing Day (additional public holiday) — additional holiday |
| Australian Capital Territory | Boxing Day — actual holiday | Boxing Day (additional public holiday) — additional holiday |
Official trading rules to check by state
- NSW: Christmas Day and Boxing Day are restricted trading days. Exemptions apply, and retail shops may trade on Boxing Day where employees freely elect to work. See NSW trading on public holidays.
- Victoria: Christmas Day is restricted; exempt shops may open. Boxing Day is not a restricted trading day. Check Business Victoria's restricted trading rules for shop exemptions.
- Queensland: non-exempt shops must close by 6pm on Christmas Eve and stay closed on Christmas Day. Boxing Day arrangements depend on the applicable area and shop category. Use Business Queensland's Christmas trading rules.
- South Australia: the official holiday table separates the CBD Tourist Precinct, metropolitan and proclaimed shopping districts, plus shop categories. Boxing Day arrangements are not the same for every supermarket or regional shop. Check the SafeWork SA holiday trading arrangements for both Saturday 26 and Monday 28 December.
- Western Australia: Christmas closure and public-holiday hours depend on shop type and locality. Do not apply Perth general-retail hours to every regional or exempt shop. Use WA Consumer Protection's trading hours.
- Tasmania: Christmas Day trading is restricted for major retailers, with statutory exceptions. Boxing Day is not listed in the Christmas Day/Good Friday prohibition. See the Shop Trading Hours Act and WorkSafe Tasmania's summary.
- ACT and Northern Territory: check the individual retailer's dated holiday-hours notice. A listed public holiday does not establish that the shop will open or close.
Check all three dates when organising errands
Do not assume a Saturday sales notice also applies on Monday 28 December. Check opening hours separately for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the Monday holiday. The same applies to New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027.
For supermarkets and shopping centres, use the specific branch's holiday notice. For petrol, pharmacy or hospitality visits, confirm the location, service availability and booking directly. A business category being allowed to open does not mean every location will trade, or offer its usual services.
Keep shopping plans separate from leave plans
The Christmas shutdown 2026 guide computes the dates to request for the break through 3 January 2027. Use the Leave Planner for your own window and the state calendar for calendar downloads. The Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve guide explains evening public holidays.
Trading permissions do not determine an employee's pay or leave entitlement. For workplace questions, use the Fair Work Ombudsman's public-holiday guidance and your applicable arrangements.
Official sources and verification
Christmas 2026 and New Year 2027 dates checked 6 September 2026 against the official jurisdiction lists: NSW; Victoria 2026; Victoria 2027; Queensland; South Australia; Western Australia; Tasmania; Northern Territory; ACT. This is the article's verification date; the shared dataset retains its own source dates.
The official trading guidance linked above was also checked on 6 September 2026. Later holiday trading exemptions and individual store notices can change practical opening hours; recheck close to the date.
Frequently asked questions
Are supermarkets open on Christmas Day 2026?
Do not assume they are. Christmas Day restrictions apply to covered retailers in several states, with exemptions depending on jurisdiction and shop category. Check the specific branch's 25 December notice.
Can shops open on Boxing Day in NSW?
NSW lists Boxing Day as restricted but permits retail shops to trade when employees freely elect to work. Permission to trade does not confirm the hours of a particular shop.
Is Monday 28 December the same as Boxing Day for trading?
It is a public holiday in every jurisdiction in 2026, but shop-trading rules are separate. Check the official rules for your locality and the retailer's Monday notice rather than carrying Saturday hours over.
Are pharmacies and petrol stations guaranteed to open?
No. Exemptions or usual trading patterns do not guarantee that a particular outlet will open. Confirm the location and services before making the trip.
Related Tools
Related guides