2016 Bank Holidays in Australia

This list is of the 2016 Bank Holidays in Australia and it is a combination of the national holidays along with those that were declared by the territorial and state government.

The custom of Australia is that when the holiday falls on a weekend, either Saturday or Sunday, which are not days that are considered to be working ones in the country.

If this happens, then the holiday will be observed on Monday to allow the employees to enjoy their holiday. This is a full list of the bank holidays that are celebrated in Australia.

Here is a list of 2016 Bank Holidays in Australia along with a brief description of those –

• New Year’s Day – The start of the New Year is celebrated with plenty of zeal all over the country. Everyone uses this day to recover from all of the drinking and the partying from the night before. Also stores might be closed or open depending on what territory or state they are found in. Also, some areas of this country, the public transport operates with plenty of restrictions and some of the public services might be closed. Millions of people gather in Sydney at the Harbor to view the amazing show of fireworks that is put together for this day. There is also the Perth Cup that is held at the Ascot Racecourse in Perth for those who love horse racing.
• Australia Day – This is the day that celebrates the first ever European settlement in the country that occurred in 1788 in what was known as Port Jackson, but it is now party of Sydney. On this day, all of the citizens get together and reflect upon and celebrate the rich heritage and culture of the country. Also, there are plenty of discussions that are planned where everyone can reflect upon the numerous achievements of their country and debate ways to make the future of the country better. Also, at Lake Burley Griffen there is an amazing fireworks show that is planned and many people come here to enjoy the show. Also, this is the day where numerous citizens are given awards for their achievements that made the country proud. On this day, the country also ceremoniously welcomes the immigrants that were recently given Australian citizenship.
• Canberra Day – This holiday is celebrated in the Australian Capital Territory or ACT and it is the day for celebrating when Canberra was founded officially, which was in 1913. This holiday is always on the 2^nd month of March and it is a huge holiday and there is a major festival that is planned. There are numerous different types of entertainment that can be enjoyed in a festive spirit, including cultural shows, sporting events, exhibitions and fairs are put together for all to enjoy.
• Good Friday – This is one of the most auspicious days for Christians and it celebrates the crucifixion of their lord, Jesus Christ. This is the start of a long weekend, which extends for 4 days and is the perfect time for family reunions or vacations. There are also plenty of special prayer services that are planned at various churches all over the country, including some lengthy prayer vigils and the variation of these activities depends upon the practices of each different church. In the Catholic churches in the country it is always recommended that the followers observe this day with fasting, which consists of 3 small, simple meals during the day and no meat. Another common tradition on this day is to eat hot cross buns, which are tiny round bread that are made with dried fruits, chocolate chips, raisins, spices and much more. Also, on this many different sporting events are planned, including Sydney’s Easter Racing Carnival, the Yacht Race that goes from Brisbane until Gladstone and Tasmania’s Three Peaks Race.
• Easter Saturday – This day is the Saturday before Easter and makes up part of the 4 day long weekend and many special services in churches are organized. This is also thought to be an auspicious day for christenings or weddings and this is also when the fishing fleet in the New South Wales and Ulladulla region are blessed. This tradition started in 1956 and this prayer is for bountiful harvests all year long along with the safety of all of the fishermen and the boats. Also, another unique feature of an Australian Easter is that many people will have a bilby instead of the usual Easter bunny. The bilby is one of the native mammals in the country and it is selected over the rabbits because they are thought to be pests that destroy plenty of farmers crops every year. The people also believe in upholding the preservation of the bilby population and the stores are full of chocolate models of the bilby.
• Easter Monday – This day marks the end of the lengthy Easter vacation that is enjoyed by the country and it is celebrated on the Monday that immediately follows Easter. On this day many people choose to spend their time with family and relaxing before they go back to work on the next day. This is also the end of many sporting, cultural and musical events that are always organized all over the country to celebrate the long vacation. The public transportation is infrequently operated and many businesses either have reduced hours for operation or are completely closed.
• Anzac Day – This day is the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps Day and it celebrates the anniversary of when the soldiers from the 2 countries had landed on Turkey’s Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915 during the World War 1. Every year this holiday lands on April 25^th and they pay tribute to the armed personnel in the country for their bravery, especially those who died while fighting for their country. In most of the major towns and cities there are marches and parades that are planned to mark the holiday and there are numerous memorial services that are also held. Another common tradition is to recite the 4^th verse of The Ode loudly and this section is known as “For the Fallen” and it was written in 1914 by Laurence Binyon. This verse speaks about all of the soldiers who had been killed for their country and how they remain evergreen. Also, in Brisbane’s ANZAC Square there is an eternal flame that is lit to remind the citizens of the military heritage of the country.
• Queen’s Birthday – This holiday has been celebrated since 1788 and the celebration of the birthday of the Queen is a tradition because the country is under a constitutional monarchy and the English Monarch is the head of the state. This day is celebrated on the 2^nd Monday of June in most of the country, but the date can change in Queensland and Western Australia. This is one of the public holidays where all operations are restricted, including public transport. People typically spend their time with their family and friends and enjoying the various sporting events that are organized during this time. One of the most popular ones is the Australian Football League and in the evenings most public places have huge firework displays for all to enjoy.
• Northern Territory Picnic Day – This day is always on the first Monday of August and it gives everyone a break from work and there are numerous traditional events that happen on this day. This is the day when the Harts Race is always organized and it includes, lizard races, rural balls, utility truck racing, bull riding, whip cracking, events for children and much more. The Adelaide River is one of the most popular places for the picnics and they have plenty of refreshments and games for the entire family.
• Family & Community Day – This is the day that upholds the belief that employees need to spend lots of quality time with their community members and family. To this end, this is an Australian public holiday celebrated in the Australian Capital Territory or ACT.
• Labor Day – On this day the country pays their tributes to the working class who are major contributors to the nation’s economic growth. Also, on this day the citizens remember the lengthy struggle that the Union leaders and other employees had to pave the way for proper pay wages and better working conditions in the country. Many marches are held in Brisbane on this day and are led by some of the most prominent leaders of politics and other influential people. Also, the members of the Labor Union and other common citizens are welcomed to join in the march and it is also called May Day by those in the Northern Territory and also as Eight Hours Day in Tasmania. This holiday allows them to have another long weekend and they enjoy it in a relaxed manner.
• Melbourne Cup Day – This race is called “the race that stops the nation” and it is the most visited horse racing event that the country holds and it has transformed into a huge social event rather than just a simple sporting event. This race is held on the first Tuesday of November and it is a legal holiday in Victoria. Millions of people from all over come to the Flemington Racecourse found in Melbourne where the races are held. This is the day where everyone will dress in their very best and those watching the race are served gourmet beverages, food and even some champagne. There are plenty of clubs and restaurants that host special banquets for those who want to go to the venue, but can’t and would still like to enjoy the race. This is a day where betting is extremely common.
• Christmas Day – This holiday is one of the most holy for the Christians as it marks the birthday of their savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. However, in the modern days this day has bypassed all of the religious borders and is now celebrated all over the world by anyone and everyone of different religions. Those that are Christian typically celebrate the holiday by attending the special church services that are organized for this day. This is also the time when the holiday decorations is put up in many businesses and in homes. Also, Christmas trees are put up and decorated with plenty of ornaments and lights. People also purchase and exchange gifts with their family and friends at this time and they spend most of the holiday with their closest friends and family.
• Boxing Day – This holiday is the day after Christmas and in Australia it is a public holiday and since this year, the holiday is on Saturday and since it isn’t a typical working day for most people, it is celebrated on Monday. This makes the Christmas holiday a long weekend vacation, which means that people will be planning to travel to visit their family that live far distances away and that they don’t often see. There is a restriction on public transport in most locations and the businesses will have reduced the working hours, if they are even open. On this day the retailers give significant clearance prices on their stocks to ensure that everyone can get what they wanted, but weren’t able to get during their holiday shopping. This is also the time when many people use the gift cards that they were given as presents and also, there are many different sporting events that are held on this day. One of the most popular ones is the cricket test match that is held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and is played between any visiting team from another country and the Australian National Cricket team. Also, the Blue-water Classic Yacht Race is held during this time and it goes from Sydney until Hobart, which is a distance of some 630 nautical miles.

List of 2016 Bank Holidays in Australia