What’s open on Christmas, Boxing Day in Melbourne 2024: Trading hours for Victoria’s biggest supermarkets, retailers and public transport
If you’re squeezing in some last-minute Christmas shopping for food, presents or alcohol, we’ve got all the information to ensure you know what’s open.
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The Christmas and New Year’s festivities are here.
If you’re squeezing in some last-minute Christmas shopping for food, presents or alcohol, we’ve got all the information to ensure you know what’s open and when.
What is open on Christmas Eve?
Most large supermarkets and bottle shops such as Aldi, Woolworths and Coles are open on Christmas Eve, though opening hours vary. Most major shopping centres are also open, although individual retailers in those centres may be closed or have changed opening hours. V/Line and Metro trains run to a normal timetable, however Yarra Trams run to a Saturday frequency. Night Network services will not run.
What is open on Christmas Day?
In short, not much.
As Christmas Day is a public holiday, the general rule is most retailers, banks and the post office are closed for the entirety of the day.
Major supermarkets Woolworths, Coles and Aldi are all closed on Christmas Day. Most IGA stores will be closed, however some local stores may be open. Check the trading hours with the store.
Bottle shops including BWS, Dan Murphy’s and Liquorland are closed on Christmas Day.
Retailers like Kmart, Target, Big W and Bunnings are all closed on Christmas Day.
Melbourne Central, Emporium, Chadstone, Southland, Eastland, Northland, Highpoint and Doncaster shopping centres are all closed on Christmas Day.
If you’re looking for something to do on or before Christmas, check out our comprehensive Christmas lights map to see which houses are worth visiting in your area.
What is open on Boxing Day?
While almost all retailers are closed on Christmas Day, the majority of them reopen on Boxing Day to make the most of Boxing Day sales.
However, some services like the post office and banks remain closed on Boxing Day as it is a public holiday.
See below the breakdown of trading hours for some of Victoria’s most popular retailers and shopping centres during the festive period.
Australia Post
Australia Post outlets are generally closed on national public holidays including Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
However some larger post offices in major metropolitan locations or large shopping centres may be open on these public holidays, so it’s worth checking the trading hours of your local outlet to confirm.
No mail or parcel deliveries, including Express Post items, take place on national public holidays.
Supermarkets and bottle shops
Woolworths
All Victorian Woolworths stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: All stores open
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open
Coles
All Victorian Coles stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store or the Coles website for their opening hours as opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: All stores open
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open
Aldi
All Victorian Aldi stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period, however store hours will vary. Check your local store for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: Stores open but trading hours will vary
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: Stores open but trading hours will vary
New Year’s Eve: Stores will be open but will have reduced trading hours
New Year’s Day: Stores will be open but will have reduced trading hours
IGA
As IGA stores are independent, family-owned businesses, store opening hours vary.
Some stores will be trading as normal, some will be closed and others will have reduced hours, so customers are encouraged to check with their local store.
Liquorland
All Victorian Liquorland stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store or the Liquorland website for their opening hours as opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed (except Abbotsford - open)
Boxing Day: All stores open
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open
BWS
All Victorian BWS stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store or the BWS website for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores open with normal or extended trading hours
Christmas Day: Most stores closed for the whole day, however some Victorian locations will be open, check with your local
Boxing Day: All stores open trading with public holiday hours
New Year’s Eve: All stores open with normal or extended trading hours
New Year’s Day: All stores open trading with public holiday hours
Dan Murphy’s
All Victorian Dan Murphy’s stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store or the Dan’s website for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores open from 9am – 9pm. Check your local store for any extended trading hours
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day except Dan Murphy’s Burvale and Dan Murphy’s Rowville which will be open from 11am – 3pm
Boxing Day: All stores open from 10am – 7pm
New Year’s Eve: All stores open trading from 9am – 9pm
New Year’s Day: All stores open from 10am – 7pm
First Choice Liquor Market
All Victorian First Choice Liquor Market stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store or the First Choice Liquor Market website for their opening hours as opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed (except Bairnsdale - open)
Boxing Day: All stores open
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open
Vintage Cellars
All Victorian Vintage Cellars stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store or the Vintage Cellars website for their opening hours as opening and closing times may differ from normal at some stores.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed
Boxing Day: All stores open
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open
Shopping centres on Christmas Eve, Christmas, Boxing Day
Westfield Shopping centres
Westfield Shopping centres across Victoria will trade to the below schedule during the festive period. Check the centre’s website for more information.
Christmas Eve:
Westfield Geelong will trade from 9am – 5.30pm
Westfield Airport West, Plenty Valley, Knox, Doncaster, Fountain Gate and Southland will trade from 8am – 5.30pm
Christmas Day:
All centres closed
Boxing Day:
Westfield Geelong will trade from 9am – 6pm
Westfield Airport West, Plenty Valley, Knox, Doncaster, Fountain Gate and Southland will trade from 9am – 9pm
New Year’s Eve:
All centres will trade from 9am – 5.30pm
New Year’s Day:
All centres will trade from 10am – 5pm
Chadstone
Chadstone Shopping Centre will trade to the below schedule during the festive period. Check the Chadstone website for more information.
Christmas Eve: Centre is open from 8am – 6pm
Christmas Day: Centre is closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: Centre is open from 7am – 11pm
New Year’s Eve: Centre is open from 9am – 5.30pm
New Year’s Day: Centre is open from 10am – 5pm
Highpoint
Highpoint Shopping Centre will trade to the below schedule during the festive period. Check the Highpoint website for further details.
Christmas Eve: Centre is open from 9am – 6pm
Christmas Day: Centre is closed for the whole day, however there are a handful of selected retailers who are still operating such as Hoyts
Boxing Day: Centre is open with extended trading hours from 9am – midnight
New Year’s Day: Centre is open with public holiday hours from 10am – 6pm
Eastland
Eastland Shopping Centre will trade to the below schedule during the festive period, with extended hours on key shopping days. Check the Eastland website for further details.
Christmas Eve: Centre is open from 7am – 5pm
Christmas Day: The centre is closed for the entire day
Boxing Day: Centre is open from 8am – 8pm
New Year’s Day: Centre is open from 10am – 5pm
Melbourne Central
Melbourne Central Shopping Centre will trade to the below schedule during the festive period, with extended hours on key shopping days. Check the Melbourne Central website for further details.
Christmas Eve: Centre is open from 9am – 6pm
Christmas Day: Centre is closed for the whole day, however some food and entertainment retailers will continue to trade
Boxing Day: Centre is open from 9am – 9pm
New Year’s Day: Centre is open from 10am – 6pm
Northland
Northland Shopping Centre will trade to the below schedule during the festive period, with extended hours on key shopping days. Check the Northland website for further details.
Christmas Eve: Centre is open from 8am – 5pm
Christmas Day: Centre is closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: Centre is open from 8am – 7pm
New Year’s Eve: Centre is open from 9am – 5.30pm
New Year’s Day: Centre is open from 10am – 5pm
Big retailers
Kmart
All Victorian Kmart stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive season. Customers are encouraged to check their local store for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: All stores open – check your local store for its public holiday trading hours
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open – check your local store for its public holiday trading hours
Target
All Victorian Target stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive season. Customers are encouraged to check their local store for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: All stores open – check your local store for its public holiday trading hours
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open – check your local store for its public holiday trading hours
Big W
All Victorian Big W stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive period.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: All stores open
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open
Bunnings
All Victorian Bunnings stores will trade to the below schedule during the festive season. Customers are encouraged to check their local store for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores open
Christmas Day: All stores closed for the whole day
Boxing Day: All stores open – check your local store for its public holiday trading hours
New Year’s Eve: All stores open
New Year’s Day: All stores open – check your local store for its public holiday trading hours
Officeworks
All Victorian Officeworks stores will be open on Boxing Day, trading with reduced hours. Check your local store for their opening hours.
Christmas Eve: All stores close at 6pm
Christmas Day: All stores closed
Boxing Day: All stores open with reduced trading hours, with most stores trading from 9am to either 5pm or 6pm
New Year’s Eve: All Officeworks stores will be open and will close at 6pm
New Year’s Day: All stores will be open on New Year’s Day with reduced trading hours, with most trading from 9am to either 5pm or 6pm
Public transport on Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s
Melbourne’s train, tram, bus and V/Line services will operate to public holiday timetables over the Christmas and Boxing Day holidays, Wednesday December 25 to Thursday December 26.
On Christmas Day, travel on public transport across Victoria will be free from the first to the last service, meaning you don’t need to touch on and off with your Myki.
Passengers on long-distance V/Line services will need to obtain a free ticket prior to travelling. No ticket is required for regional bus services.
Passengers who have already booked their ticket on a reserved service can visit their nearest V/Line station to arrange a refund.
See further details on timetables for the festive period below.
When do summer school holidays finish?
The Victorian summer school holidays will end on Tuesday January 28 2025.
Students start term one on Wednesday January 29 2025 in government schools.
Originally published as What’s open on Christmas, Boxing Day in Melbourne 2024: Trading hours for Victoria’s biggest supermarkets, retailers and public transport
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