October Long Weekend 2026: Which States Get It & When

The October long weekend runs from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 October 2026, and half the country gets it. Monday 5 October is a public holiday in New South Wales, the ACT, South Australia and Queensland. In Victoria, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania it's an ordinary Monday.

Same Monday, two different holidays

Four states take the Monday off, but not for the same reason. NSW, the ACT and South Australia hold Labour Day on the first Monday in October. Queensland puts its King's Birthday holiday there instead of in June, so two unrelated holidays land on the same date.

The four states missing out aren't short-changed. Victoria took Labour Day on 9 March 2026 and Western Australia on 2 March, Tasmania has Eight Hours Day on 9 March, and the Northern Territory has May Day in May and Picnic Day in August.

North-west Tasmania is the exception

Tasmania has no statewide holiday that Monday, but Burnie, Waratah-Wynyard and the West Coast get Friday 2 October off for the Burnie Show. That's a long weekend at the front instead of the back, and it only applies in those municipalities.

The Royal Launceston Show follows on Thursday 8 October for Launceston and the northern municipalities. Check Tasmania's public holidays before you assume your region works a normal week.

Stretch it past the Monday

A Monday holiday is already three days off. In NSW, the ACT, SA or Queensland, two leave days on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October make it a five-day break, and four leave days across that week give you nine days off.

1. Price the Tuesday and Wednesday in the Leave Planner before you request them.
2. Compare the window against the rest of the year on long weekends.
3. In Victoria, WA, the NT or Tasmania, look at your own state's next holiday on public holidays instead.

What's open on the Monday

Normal public-holiday trading applies in the four states with the day off. Supermarkets, petrol stations and most cafes and restaurants open, often with a public-holiday surcharge, while banks, government offices and many businesses close. Everywhere else it's a working Monday, and shops keep their usual hours.

Planning next year? Check the October long weekend 2027 guide for the new dates, school returns and clock change.

Frequently asked questions

What are the dates of the October long weekend 2026?

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Saturday 3 to Monday 5 October 2026. The holiday itself is the Monday, so if you work weekends the day you gain is 5 October.

Is Monday 5 October a public holiday in Queensland?

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Yes. Queensland observes the King's Birthday on the first Monday in October, so 5 October 2026 is a full public holiday there.

Is there an October long weekend in Victoria?

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No. Victoria's Labour Day was 9 March 2026 and its next statewide holiday is Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday 3 November, so the first Monday in October is a working day.

Is 7 October or 12 October 2026 a public holiday?

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Neither is a statewide holiday anywhere in Australia. Wednesday 7 October is a local Melbourne Cup replacement day in part of Mildura Rural City, and 12 October is a normal Monday.

Why is it Labour Day in some states and the King's Birthday in Queensland?

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Because each state sets its own dates. Most of the country marks the King's Birthday in June, and each state picked a different month for its labour-movement holiday.