Public and bank holidays in South Australia are prescribed by the Holidays Act 1910.

Please direct all enquiries relating to rates of pay and entitlements for the South Australian private sector workforce to the Fair Work Ombudsman. SafeWork SA is unable to provide advice regarding rates of pay and entitlements, including those for public holidays.

2023 South Australia’s public holidays and school holidays

Sunday 1 January: New Year's Day

Monday 2 January: New Year's Day (additional day)

Thursday 26 January: Australia Day

Monday 30 January: School year commences

Monday 13 March: Adelaide Cup Day

Friday 7 April: Good Friday

Saturday 8 April: Easter Saturday

Monday 10 April: Easter Monday

Saturday 15 April – Sunday 30 April: School Holidays - Term 1

Tuesday 25 April: Anzac Day

Monday 12 June: King’s Birthday

Saturday 8 July – Saturday 23 July: School Holidays - Term 2

Saturday 30 September – Sunday 15 October: School Holidays - Term 3

Monday 2 October:  Labour Day

Saturday 16 December – Sunday 28 January: School Holidays - Term 4

Sunday 24 December: Christmas Eve: 7pm to midnight

Monday 25 December: Christmas Day

Tuesday 26 December: Proclamation Day public holiday and Boxing Day

Sunday 31 December: New Year's Eve: 7pm to midnight

Note: School holiday dates are added for reference only and are not under SafeWork SA jurisdiction.

More information:

• Download the 2021-2024 public holiday dates
• Download iCalendar 2020-2024 public holiday dates (also includes school holiday dates)

Saturdays

• When 1 January, 26 January, 25 December & 26 December fall on a Saturday the public holiday moves to the following Monday therefore the Saturday is not a public holiday but is still a bank holiday.

Sundays

• When New Year’s Day, Australia Day, Anzac Day and Christmas Day fall on a Sunday, that day and the following Monday will be public holidays and bank holidays.
• When 26 December (Proclamation Day public holiday) falls on a Sunday or a Monday, that day and the following Tuesday will be public holidays and bank holidays.
• The Holidays Act 1910 (SA) prescribes every ordinary Sunday to be a public holiday.
• For industrial purposes, the Sunday provisions contained in an Award or Enterprise Agreement will generally prevail over the public holiday provisions unless stated otherwise.
• Enquiries relating to public holiday rates of pay and entitlements for the National Workplace Relations System (SA's private sector workforce) should be directed to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Bank holidays

• All public holidays are also a bank holiday and all authorised deposit-taking institutions will be closed on bank holidays.

Part-day public holidays

• A person who works between the hours of 7pm and 12 midnight on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve is entitled to the public holiday rates provided by the relevant Award or Enterprise Agreement. This is still the case when those days fall on a Saturday or a Sunday.
• As with other public holidays for workers covered by the national workplace relations system, the Public Holidays National Employment Standard applies during the times of a part-day public holiday.
• Individuals should check their award/agreement for further details on part-day public holidays.

Impact on shop trading hours

• The definition of public holiday under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1977 (SA) does not include a Sunday.
• There are however certain trading restrictions applicable to Easter Sunday and when 25 December, 26 December and 1 January fall on a Saturday or Sunday in any year. Refer to Christmas trading arrangements for more details.
• The Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve part-day public holidays do not affect prescribed trading hours relevant to the day they fall in a given year.

Extended shop trading hours over public holidays

The Government may announce exemptions to Christmas shop trading hours in the lead up to Christmas and over the Christmas/New Year period. An important condition of the exemptions is that all employees working during these extended hours will do so on a strictly voluntary basis (that is, the worker must choose to do so).

Any worker who feels they are being made to work during hours to which exemptions apply can contact SafeWork SA on 1300 365 255 for assistance and advice.

Enquiries relating to rates of pay and entitlements for working on public holidays should be directed to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Industrial relations

The Fair Work Ombudsman has industrial jurisdiction for the South Australian private sector workforce. Enquiries relating to rates of pay and entitlements for working on public holidays should be directed to the Fair Work Ombudsman.