Moving to Australia – Holidays in Australia
When you are moving to Australia with IntlMOVE Australia, you will need to know the different holidays that are celebrated. These holidays will affect the days you have of work and your interactions with your friends, families and coworkers. Holidays often provide a reason to celebrate, so it will be nice to have more reasons to enjoy a festive occasion.
In Australia, many Christian holidays are widely celebrated and recognized as public holidays. Almost 65 percent of the population is Christian. Roughly 20 percent of Australian residents declare no religion and the remainder of the population practice other religions. IntlMOVE Australia has put together some information for you on public holidays.
Public Holidays in Australia
New Years Day
Similar to the United States, New Year’s Day is celebrated on January 1. Enjoy celebrations on December 31 as you count down to the New Year. There are many parties going on everywhere and in many cities, there are fireworks to celebrate the day.
Australia Day
January 26 is Australia Day. This day commemorates the date in 1788 when 11 ships from England, the First Fleet, arrived in Australia to start a new colony. To celebrate this day, there are Australian Day Honours, citizenship ceremonies and Australian of the Year Awards. Locally, you will find concerts, ceremonies and other forms of family entertainment, such as carnivals.
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday, also celebrated by many in the United States, which commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. This holiday is celebrated towards the end of March or April. It is different every year.
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is a public holiday in Australia, which means many people have it off of work. It is celebrated the day after Easter Sunday.
ANZAC Day
ANZAC, which stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, recognizes all of those who have served and died during a time of war or conflict on April 25.
Christmas Day
Christmas is a Christian celebration that takes place on December 31. When Christmas falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is typically declared a public holiday.
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is December 26. Although it was originally a day when wealthy people would give to the poor, this day is typically spent shopping at all the after-Christmas sales. When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, Monday is declared a holiday. When if falls on a Sunday, Tuesday is declared a public holiday.
Other Holidays and Celebrations in Australia
Each state and territory may have special days, festivals or holidays that are celebrated. The Queen’s Birthday on June 8 is recognized everywhere in Australia, except Western Australia. Labour Day is celebrated throughout Australia, but varies by state. The Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and South Australia all celebrate it the first Monday in October. The second Monday in March is when the people in Victoria and Tasmania celebrate Labour Day. In Western Australia, it is celebrated the first Monday in March. Queensland and the Northern Territory celebrate Labour Day the first Monday in May.
Moving to Australia is a very exciting time in your life, so let IntlMOVE Australia help make the international move stress free. When you are moving to Australia, IntlMOVE Australia will take care of everything when shipping your household goods from the U.S. to Australia.
