Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve Public Holidays in Australia: Which States Get Part-Day Holidays?

One of the most confusing parts of the Australian holiday calendar is that Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not treated the same way in every state. In some states they're just ordinary workdays. In others, they become part-day public holidays from the evening onward.

Which states get part-day holidays?

• Queensland: Christmas Eve is a part-day public holiday from 6 pm to midnight.
• South Australia: Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are part-day public holidays from 7 pm to midnight.
• Northern Territory: Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are part-day public holidays from 7 pm to midnight.

In most other states, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not public holidays in their own right. They may still be quiet office days, but legally they aren't the same thing.

Why this matters

If you work shifts, close payroll, roster hospitality staff, or run a customer-facing business, those part-day holidays affect penalty rates, staffing and opening hours. For salaried office workers, they also affect how much annual leave you really need to cover a shutdown.

The practical planning point

These part-day holidays don't usually create a full extra day off by themselves, but they do change the feel of the Christmas week. In Queensland, South Australia and the NT, the evening portions of those days are treated differently for work purposes. That matters more than many people realise.

If you're planning the whole late-December break, pair this information with the substitute holidays that happen when Christmas or Boxing Day fall on the weekend. That's where the real leave leverage usually sits.

Check your state's full list on the Public Holidays pages, then use the Leave Planner to map the exact dates you need off.