It’s time for a long weekend, but only for some of us. You could have a public holiday coming Monday, but only if you live in these states.
It’s time for a long weekend, but only for some of us. The coming Monday, October 3rd, is a public holiday for many of us – it just depends on which state you live in.
If you’re based in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia or the ACT – congratulations! Go book your long weekend tickets now, because Monday, October 3rd is a public holiday for you.
If you’re in Victoria, Western Australia, the Northern Territory or Tasmania, tough luck – you’re going to work and facing the Monday blues.
So, why are the states in question getting a day off? Well, the ACT, South Australia, and NSW are all set to celebrate Labour Day on October 3rd, dedicated to the contributions of the workforce across regions.
Victoria and Tasmania earmark the second Monday in March for Labour Day (in Tasmania, it’s referred to as the Eight Hours Day). In Western Australia, it’s the first Monday in March.
Queensland, however, reserves October 3rd to celebrate the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, despite her official birthday being in April. The event is known as the Queen’s Birthday (now the King’s Birthday, with Charles having ascended to the throne earlier in September), and is considered the official day on which the monarch’s birthday is celebrated in the UK and the Commonwealth.
Queensland first celebrated her birthday in October 2012 and has done so every year since 2016. There are speculations that the date might change considering there is a new monarch on the throne now, but there is no confirmation on that end yet.
But why is it that only some states are getting a public holiday? Well, these ones are different from national public holidays: it’s up to the individual state and territory governments to decide these, so sometimes it’s all about where you’re based.
