Christmas & Boxing Day Trading Hours in Australia

What each state restricts

• NSW: Christmas Day and Boxing Day are restricted trading days. Exemptions apply, and shops may trade on Boxing Day where staff freely elect to work. See NSW trading on public holidays.
• Victoria: Christmas Day is restricted and exempt shops may open. Boxing Day is not a restricted trading day. Check Business Victoria's restricted trading rules.
• Queensland: non-exempt shops close by 6pm on Christmas Eve and stay shut on Christmas Day. Boxing Day depends on the area and shop category. Use Business Queensland's Christmas trading rules.
• South Australia: the rules split by CBD tourist precinct, metropolitan area, proclaimed shopping district and shop category, so supermarkets and regional shops don't share one answer. Check SafeWork SA's holiday trading arrangements for both the Saturday and the Monday.
• Western Australia: closure and holiday hours depend on shop type and locality, so Perth general-retail hours don't carry to regional or exempt shops. Use WA Consumer Protection's trading hours.
• Tasmania: Christmas Day trading is restricted for major retailers, with statutory exceptions, and Boxing Day is not in that prohibition. See the Shop Trading Hours Act and WorkSafe Tasmania's summary.
• ACT and Northern Territory: check the retailer's dated holiday-hours notice. A listed public holiday tells you nothing about whether a shop opens.

Checking a specific shop

Use the branch's own holiday notice rather than the chain's general page, because centres and suburbs run different hours over the break. For hospitality, confirm the booking directly.

Services can also be reduced on a day a shop does open: a deli counter, a pharmacy script service or a click-and-collect desk may not run holiday hours even when the doors do.

Keep shopping plans and leave plans apart

Trading permissions don't set anyone's pay or leave entitlement. For work over the period, use the Fair Work Ombudsman's public-holiday guidance and your own award or agreement.

For the time off, the Christmas shutdown 2026 guide has the dates to request, the Leave Planner takes your own window, and the eve guide explains the evening holidays. Your state calendar has the downloads.

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 trading guidance linked above was checked on the same date. Later exemptions and individual store notices can still change what actually opens, so recheck close to the day.

Frequently asked questions

Are supermarkets open on Christmas Day 2026?

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Assume not. Christmas Day restrictions cover most large retailers, with exemptions that vary by state and shop category. Check the specific branch's notice for the day rather than the chain's usual hours.

Can shops open on Boxing Day in NSW?

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Yes, where staff freely elect to work. NSW lists Boxing Day as restricted but allows retail trading on that basis, which still doesn't confirm the hours of any particular shop.

Is Monday 28 December the same as Boxing Day for trading?

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No. It is a public holiday in all 8 states and territories, but shop trading rules treat it as its own day. Check your locality's rule and the retailer's notice for Monday 28 December rather than carrying Saturday's hours across.

Are pharmacies and petrol stations guaranteed to open?

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No. An exemption allows a shop to trade; it never obliges it to. Confirm the location and the services you need before making the trip.