Northern Territory public holidays 2026 and 2027: dates and substitute days

Reviewed 5 November 2026

The NT Government’s public holidays page lists, for 2027: New Year's Day (Friday 1 January 2027), Australia Day (Tuesday 26 January 2027), Good Friday (Friday 26 March 2027), Easter Saturday (Saturday 27 March 2027), Easter Sunday (Sunday 28 March 2027), Easter Monday (Monday 29 March 2027), Anzac Day (Monday 26 April 2027), May Day (Monday 3 May 2027), King's Birthday (Monday 14 June 2027), Picnic Day (Monday 2 August 2027), Christmas Day (Saturday 25 December 2027; additional day Monday 27 December 2027), Boxing Day (Sunday 26 December 2027; additional day Tuesday 28 December 2027). Also listed, with limits: Christmas Eve (24 December), 7pm to midnight (Friday 24 December 2027). Part day holiday: from 7pm to midnight only. New Year's Eve (31 December), 7pm to midnight (Friday 31 December 2027). Part day holiday: from 7pm to midnight only. The 5 show days are not in that list because each is a regional holiday for its own region only.

Northern Territory public holidays 2026 and 2027

Northern Territory public holidays in 2026 and 2027, with substitute or additional days
Holiday20262027Substitute or additional dayApplies to and notes
New Year's DayThursday 1 January 2026Friday 1 January 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Australia DayMonday 26 January 2026Tuesday 26 January 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Good FridayFriday 3 April 2026Friday 26 March 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Easter SaturdaySaturday 4 April 2026Saturday 27 March 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Easter SundaySunday 5 April 2026Sunday 28 March 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Easter MondayMonday 6 April 2026Monday 29 March 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Anzac DaySaturday 25 April 2026Monday 26 April 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
May DayMonday 4 May 2026Monday 3 May 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
King's BirthdayMonday 8 June 2026Monday 14 June 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Alice Springs Show DayFriday 3 July 2026Friday 2 July 2027—Regional holiday: applies only in the region that holds that show day, not across the whole Territory.
Tennant Creek Show DayFriday 10 July 2026Friday 9 July 2027—Regional holiday: applies only in the region that holds that show day, not across the whole Territory.
Katherine Show DayFriday 17 July 2026Friday 16 July 2027—Regional holiday: applies only in the region that holds that show day, not across the whole Territory.
Darwin Show DayFriday 24 July 2026Friday 23 July 2027—Regional holiday: applies only in the region that holds that show day, not across the whole Territory.
Picnic DayMonday 3 August 2026Monday 2 August 2027—Territory-wide, full day.
Borroloola Show DayFriday 14 August 2026Friday 13 August 2027—Regional holiday: applies only in the region that holds that show day, not across the whole Territory.
Christmas Eve (24 December), 7pm to midnightThursday 24 December 2026Friday 24 December 2027—Part day holiday: from 7pm to midnight only.
Christmas DayFriday 25 December 2026Saturday 25 December 2027Monday 27 December 2027Territory-wide, full day.
Boxing DaySaturday 26 December 2026Sunday 26 December 2027Monday 28 December 2026; Tuesday 28 December 2027Territory-wide, full day.
New Year's Eve (31 December), 7pm to midnightThursday 31 December 2026Friday 31 December 2027—Part day holiday: from 7pm to midnight only.

Dates are as the Northern Territory sources print them; “Substitute or additional day” lists the extra days in 2026 and 2027, and “Applies to and notes” says when a holiday is not statewide or not a full day.

Substitute days: the rule, in the source’s words

Under the Public Holidays Act 1981 (version as in force at 1 June 2023), and as the official sources word it:

“25 December (Christmas Day) and, if that day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday 26 December (Boxing Day) and: (a) if that day falls on a Saturday – the following Monday; or (b) if that day falls on a Sunday or Monday – the following Tuesday”
Public Holidays Act 1981 (NT), Schedule 2
“25 April (Anzac Day) or, if that day falls on a Sunday, the following Monday”
Public Holidays Act 1981 (NT), Schedule 2
“1 January (New Year's Day) and, if that day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday 26 January (Australia Day) or, if that day falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, the following Monday”
Public Holidays Act 1981 (NT), Schedule 2

Show days: regional holidays

The five show days apply only in the region that holds them.

“There are also regional holidays which only apply to regions celebrating their annual show days.”
NT Government, NT public and regional holidays
“Regional holiday - to find out which show day applies to your area, check the map of NT show day regions.”
NT Government, NT public and regional holidays, note 1

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: part-day holidays

“Part day holiday - from 7pm to midnight only.”
NT Government, NT public and regional holidays, note 2

May Day, the King’s Birthday and Picnic Day

“The first Monday in May (May Day) The second Monday in June The first Monday in August (Picnic Day)”
Public Holidays Act 1981 (NT), Schedule 2

Frequently asked questions

What are the NT public holidays in 2027?

The NT Government’s public holidays page lists, for 2027: New Year's Day (Friday 1 January 2027), Australia Day (Tuesday 26 January 2027), Good Friday (Friday 26 March 2027), Easter Saturday (Saturday 27 March 2027), Easter Sunday (Sunday 28 March 2027), Easter Monday (Monday 29 March 2027), Anzac Day (Monday 26 April 2027), May Day (Monday 3 May 2027), King's Birthday (Monday 14 June 2027), Picnic Day (Monday 2 August 2027), Christmas Day (Saturday 25 December 2027; additional day Monday 27 December 2027), Boxing Day (Sunday 26 December 2027; additional day Tuesday 28 December 2027). Also listed, with limits: Christmas Eve (24 December), 7pm to midnight (Friday 24 December 2027). Part day holiday: from 7pm to midnight only. New Year's Eve (31 December), 7pm to midnight (Friday 31 December 2027). Part day holiday: from 7pm to midnight only. The 5 show days are not in that list because each is a regional holiday for its own region only.

Are the NT show days public holidays across the whole Territory?

No. The NT Government’s page says: “There are also regional holidays which only apply to regions celebrating their annual show days.” Its footnote says: “Regional holiday - to find out which show day applies to your area, check the map of NT show day regions.” For 2027 it lists Alice Springs Show Day (Friday 2 July 2027), Tennant Creek Show Day (Friday 9 July 2027), Katherine Show Day (Friday 16 July 2027), Darwin Show Day (Friday 23 July 2027) and Borroloola Show Day (Friday 13 August 2027), each a regional holiday.

Are Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve public holidays in the NT?

Only for part of the day. The NT Government’s page lists Christmas Eve on Friday 24 December 2027 and New Year’s Eve on Friday 31 December 2027 and says: “Part day holiday - from 7pm to midnight only.”

What happens in the NT when Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a weekend?

In 2027, 25 December is a Saturday and 26 December a Sunday, and 25 April is a Sunday. The Public Holidays Act 1981 (version as in force at 1 June 2023) provides: “25 December (Christmas Day) and, if that day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday 26 December (Boxing Day) and: (a) if that day falls on a Saturday – the following Monday; or (b) if that day falls on a Sunday or Monday – the following Tuesday” The NT Government’s page lists Saturday 25 December 2027; additional day Monday 27 December 2027 for Christmas Day and Sunday 26 December 2027; additional day Tuesday 28 December 2027 for Boxing Day.

Is Anzac Day moved in the NT when it falls on a Sunday?

Yes. In 2027 Anzac Day is on a Sunday and the NT Government’s page lists Monday 26 April 2027. The Public Holidays Act 1981 (version as in force at 1 June 2023) provides: “25 April (Anzac Day) or, if that day falls on a Sunday, the following Monday” The page lists only the Saturday date for 2026 (Saturday 25 April 2026), as the Act gives a Monday only when 25 April is a Sunday.

When are May Day, Picnic Day and the King’s Birthday in the NT in 2027?

The NT Government’s page lists May Day on Monday 3 May 2027, the King’s Birthday on Monday 14 June 2027 and Picnic Day on Monday 2 August 2027. Schedule 2 of the Public Holidays Act 1981 lists: “The first Monday in May (May Day) The second Monday in June The first Monday in August (Picnic Day)” The Public Holidays Act 1981 text read is the version as in force at 1 June 2023.

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Sources

Reviewed 5 November 2026 against the sources in the list. FedRateCalc is not affiliated with the Australian Government, any state or territory government, or the Fair Work Ombudsman; the sources in the list are the official sources, and any later change they publish overrides this site. Pages fetched with plain curl were retrieved on 5 November 2026; where a government site refused plain curl, the page read is an Internet Archive exact capture, dated in its label.