Reminder: No ANZAC Day Long Weekend For Many Of Us This Year


Australians love their public holidays and when they happen to fall on the weekend, we’re grateful when we get the Monday off as a substitute. One of the more sombre public holidays is ANZAC Day and in 2021, it falls on a Sunday.

Unfortunately for some, not all states and territories will be getting replacement days this year, meaning most of us will need to be back at work on a Monday.

There is no ANZAC Day ‘long weekend’ in NSW, VIC or Tasmania for 2021

As mentioned, ANZAC Day in 2021 will fall on a Sunday. For those in NSW, VIC or Tasmania, things will be business as normal on the following Monday.

In NSW, the Public Holidays Act 2010 clearly states that while holidays such as Australia Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day get a public holiday the following Monday or Tuesday too, in case of the Christmas break, ANZAC Day is the one exception.

“The Public Holidays Act 2010 names ANZAC Day to be observed with a public holiday on 25 April including whether it is a Saturday or a Sunday. It does not provide for any automatic substitution or additional arrangements,” a NSW Government spokesperson told Lifehacker Australia.

“Consistent with past practice, there have not been additional holidays on the Mondays following an ANZAC Day Saturday in 1987, 1992, 1998, 2009 and 2015 [now 2020 and 2021, too].

“The 25th of April remains a public holiday in recognition of the solemnity of the day. It is not intended to be an additional holiday for workers.”

Similarly, in Victoria, the Public Holidays Act 1993 stipulates the same — no public holiday on Monday this year. Tasmania follows suit in the Statutory Holidays Act 2000.

Which states get a long weekend this ANZAC DAY?

A handful of states and territories in Australia will experience an ANZAC Day public holiday off in 2021 on the following Monday. Those exceptions are obviously the ones yet to be mentioned — ACT, WA, QLD, SA and NT. Western Australia’s Public And Bank Holidays Act 1972 means Monday becomes the state’s observed public holiday while the ACT has declared the Monday a public holiday this year.

In Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory, the legislation says ANZAC Day’s public holiday will be observed on a Monday if it falls on a Sunday, not a Saturday. (This was the case in 2020.)

For the rest of Australia, you’ll have to be back to business as usual on Monday. If you’d like to plan ahead for your next public holiday check out our full guide to 2021 dates, here.

This article has been updated since its original publication. 

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