Is Queen’s Birthday a public holiday in your state?
Most Australians will enjoy a day off on Monday but millions of others will miss out. This is the deal with the Queen’s Birthday public holiday.
National
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News.
For millions of Australians, this coming Monday is a chance to kick back and enjoy an extra day of the weekend. For millions of others, it’s back to work as usual.
The Queen’s Birthday public holiday is on June 14, but it’s only a public holiday for some parts of the country.
Unlike Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, which are national public holidays and observed uniformly across Australia, only some state and territory governments recognise the Queen’s Birthday public holiday on June 14.
RELATED: Hack to triple you annual leave in 2021
Who gets Monday off?
NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory will celebrate the Queen’s Birthday on Monday, allowing residents to enjoy the June long weekend.
Queensland and Western Australia won’t, and it’s business as usual in those states on Monday.
But their time will come – WA will mark the Queen’s Birthday public holiday later in the year, on Monday, September 27, and in Queensland it will be on Monday, October 4.
Queensland only switched the Queen’s Birthday date from June to October in 2015.
Will anything be closed?
Major supermarkets including Woolworths, Coles and Aldi and big retailers like Myer and Kmart will be open on public holiday Monday although there might be slight changes to trading hours. Most Westfield shopping centres will be open. Smaller retailers may choose to close for the day, as well as restaurants and cafes.
Cinemas are open, as well as many attractions, museums, galleries and parks around the country. Public transport often runs to a slightly revised schedule on public holidays.
There may be some limitations in Victoria due to Covid-19 restrictions.
RELATED: NSW gets a Dine and Discover extension
I thought the Queen’s birthday was in April?
You’re not wrong. Queen Elizabeth privately celebrated her birthday on April 21, the day she was born in 1926. But Her Majesty’s official birthday – the one marked by public celebrations – is on a different date.
It’s an old royal tradition that dates back to her great-grandfather King Edward VII, who reigned from 1901 to 1910. His actual birthday in wintry November was considered a bad time, weatherwise, for public celebrations — so they moved it to summer.
The UK celebrates the official Queen’s Birthday on the second Saturday of June, when the centuries-old Trooping the Colour parade is held.
While (most of) Australia observes the Queen’s Birthday on the second Monday of June, it’s on the first Monday of June in New Zealand, and the second-last Monday in May in Canada.
In Australia, the occasion is marked by the release of the Queen’s Birthday honours list, which announces new members to the Order of Australia and commends those of exceptional service.
Originally published as Is Queen’s Birthday a public holiday in your state?
Premier under fire for act before $5bn sale
The New South Wales Premier met with his friend of 20 years - a racing executive - for a ‘meet and greet’ shortly before a massive $5bn racetrack sell-off was announced.
Lidia Thorpe led away after second outburst
Renegade independent senator Lidia Thorpe was escorted away from Parliament after shouting at King Charles, just hours after narrowly avoiding police arrest. Watch video.