25 June 2026
October Long Weekend 2026: Which States Get It & When
The October long weekend 2026 falls on Sat 3 – Mon 5 October — a public holiday in NSW, ACT, SA and QLD, but not VIC, WA, NT or Tasmania. Here's why.
The October long weekend in 2026 runs from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 October — but only in some states. Monday 5 October is a public holiday in New South Wales, the ACT, South Australia and Queensland, while Victoria, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania work as normal.
Same Monday, two different holidays
Here's the quirk: 5 October 2026 is the same date in four states, but it isn't the same holiday.
| State | 5 October 2026 | Long weekend? |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Labour Day | Yes |
| ACT | Labour Day | Yes |
| SA | Labour Day | Yes |
| QLD | King's Birthday | Yes |
| VIC | — | No |
| WA | — | No |
| NT | — | No |
| TAS | — | No |
NSW, the ACT and SA take Labour Day on the first Monday in October. Queensland lands its King's Birthday holiday on the same Monday — most other states hold the King's Birthday in June. The states missing out aren't short-changed: Victoria, WA and Tasmania take Labour Day earlier in the year, and the NT has its own May and June dates.
Daylight saving starts the same weekend
There's a second thing happening that weekend: daylight saving begins at 2am on Sunday 4 October 2026, when clocks go forward one hour in NSW, Victoria, SA, Tasmania and the ACT. So in NSW, the ACT and SA, the long-weekend Sunday is also the night you lose an hour's sleep. Queensland has the holiday but no daylight saving, and Western Australia and the NT have neither. See our daylight saving 2026 guide for which states change their clocks.
Make it a longer break
A Monday public holiday is already a three-day weekend. If you're in NSW, the ACT, SA or QLD, taking Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October as leave (2 days) stretches it to a five-day break, or add the whole week for nine days off. The Leave Planner shows the best trade for your state, and Long Weekends compares it against the rest of the year.
What's open on the October long weekend?
In the four states with the holiday, Monday 5 October follows normal public-holiday trading: supermarkets, petrol stations and most hospitality open (often with a public-holiday surcharge), while banks and many businesses close. In the states without the holiday, it's an ordinary Monday.
Frequently asked questions
What date is the October long weekend in 2026?
Saturday 3 to Monday 5 October 2026, where Monday 5 October is a public holiday — in NSW, the ACT, South Australia and Queensland.
Which states get the October long weekend?
NSW, the ACT and South Australia (Labour Day) and Queensland (King's Birthday). Victoria, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania do not have a public holiday on that Monday.
Why is it Labour Day in some states and King's Birthday in Queensland?
Labour Day is the first Monday in October in NSW, the ACT and SA. Queensland schedules its King's Birthday holiday for the first Monday in October instead of June, so two different holidays happen to land on the same date.
Is there an October long weekend in Victoria?
No. Victoria takes its Labour Day in March, so the first Monday in October is an ordinary working day there. The same applies in WA, the NT and Tasmania.