Public holiday
Melbourne Cup Day 2025 in Australia
Melbourne Cup Day — the first Tuesday in November — fell on 4 November 2025, a full public holiday for workers across Victoria, except in a handful of non-metro council areas that substitute a local holiday.
Melbourne Cup Day 2025 by state
History
Melbourne Cup Day has been a public holiday in Victoria since 1877, making Melbourne one of the first cities in the world to declare a holiday for a horse race. The Cup has been run at Flemington Racecourse since 1861.
How Australians celebrate
Known as 'the race that stops a nation', the Melbourne Cup is watched by millions across Australia. In Victoria, workplace sweepstakes, fashions on the field, and long lunches are the norm. The race covers 3,200 metres and typically starts at 3pm Melbourne time.
Melbourne Cup Day in other years
Frequently asked questions
Melbourne Cup Day 2025 falls on Tuesday 4 November 2025.
No, Melbourne Cup Day is observed in VIC only. It is not a national public holiday.
Melbourne Cup Day is a gazetted public holiday in VIC. Most workers are entitled to a day off with pay. If you work on the day, penalty rates typically apply as per your award or enterprise agreement.
Almost all of it. Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday across metropolitan Melbourne and most of regional Victoria. A small number of regional Victorian shires substitute a different local race-day holiday instead, so check with your council or employer if you're based outside greater Melbourne.
If your workplace is in Victoria and you're rostered on Melbourne Cup Day, public holiday penalty rates apply under your award or enterprise agreement, the same as for any other Victorian public holiday.
It's a full public holiday, not a part-day holiday. Melbourne Cup Day is also not one of Victoria's restricted trading days — only Good Friday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day (before 1pm) carry statewide trading restrictions — so most shops are free to open if they choose to.
A small number of non-metropolitan Victorian councils arrange an alternate local public holiday instead of Melbourne Cup Day, each on a date set by the council rather than the first Tuesday in November. Business Victoria publishes the confirmed list each year; councils that have done this include Warrnambool City, Moyne Shire, Greater Geelong City, Macedon Ranges Shire, Wodonga City, Hindmarsh Shire, Yarriambiack Shire, Moira Shire, Mildura Rural City and Greater Bendigo City. If you're in regional Victoria, check with your council or employer rather than assuming the statewide date applies.
Melbourne Cup Day 2026 falls on Tuesday 3 November 2026.