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What's Open on Good Friday & Easter? Trading Hours Guide

Most large retailers close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and trade on Easter Saturday and Monday. Trading rules are state law, so check yours first.

4 min read
Shopfronts and pedestrians at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market.

Good Friday is one of the few days a year when Australian retail largely shuts, alongside Christmas Day and Anzac Day morning. Most large supermarkets, department stores and shopping centres close, while pharmacies, petrol stations and hospitality keep trading. Easter Saturday and Easter Monday run much closer to a normal day.

Easter 2027, and which states declare each day

Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays in all eight states and territories. The two days between them are where the list splits.

Easter 2027 dates and the states that declare each day a public holiday
DayDate in 2027Declared in
Good FridayFriday 26 MarchEvery state and territory
Easter SaturdaySaturday 27 MarchEverywhere except WA and Tasmania
Easter SundaySunday 28 MarchEverywhere except Tasmania
Easter MondayMonday 29 MarchEvery state and territory
Easter TuesdayTuesday 30 MarchTasmania only, and only for part of the public sector

A day being a public holiday is not the same as a day being a restricted trading day. Easter Monday is both a holiday and a fairly normal shopping day in most places.

What usually trades on each day

Typical retail trading across the Easter weekend, before state exemptions
DayTypical trading
Good FridayMost large retailers, department stores and shopping centres closed. Banks, post offices and government services closed.
Easter SaturdayGenerally normal trading in most states.
Easter SundayRestricted like Good Friday in several states, so many large retailers close.
Easter MondayTrading is usually permitted, with many shops on public-holiday hours.

Store-level hours sit outside this. Two branches of the same chain can differ, so confirm the one you plan to visit.

What stays open all weekend

  • Smaller convenience stores, corner shops and many pharmacies.
  • Petrol stations.
  • Cafes, restaurants and takeaway, often with a public-holiday surcharge.
  • Hospitals, emergency services and public transport, usually on a holiday timetable.
  • Shops in designated tourist precincts, which hold trading exemptions in several states.

Why the rules change at the border

Retail trading on public holidays is regulated state by state. Most states, NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and WA among them, restrict large-store trading on Good Friday while exempting small shops, pharmacies, petrol and hospitality.

Before you head out

  1. Confirm which Easter days your state declares on the Easter public holidays page.
  2. Check your state's retail trading rules for the exemptions that apply where you live.
  3. Plan the break around the dates with the Easter long weekend guide, the 2028 Easter dates or the long weekends calendar.

Frequently asked questions

Are shops closed on Good Friday in Australia?

The big ones, mostly. Department stores, large supermarkets and shopping centres shut in most states, while corner shops, pharmacies, petrol stations and cafes trade on. Which businesses are exempt is written into each state's own law.

Are supermarkets open on Good Friday?

Rarely, if they are a major chain. Good Friday is one of a handful of days a year the large supermarkets close in most states. Independent grocers and convenience stores usually stay open, and hours differ by location.

Are shops open on Easter Sunday?

It splits by state. Several treat Easter Sunday as a restricted day and large retailers close, while smaller shops, hospitality and tourist-precinct stores can trade. Check the rules where you are.

Is Easter Saturday a normal trading day?

For shopping, usually yes. It is also a public holiday everywhere except WA and Tasmania, so staffing and hours can be shorter even where the doors are open.

When is the next Easter long weekend?

Friday 26 to Monday 29 March 2027. Tasmania adds a restricted Easter Tuesday on 30 March for part of its public sector, which no other state does.

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