We’re pretty much half-way through the year, winter has officially arrived and it’s almost tax time, which means one thing: we’re all due for a day off.
Luckily, Monday, June 9 is a public holiday in almost all of Australia (sorry, Western Australia and Queensland), with New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory observing the King’s Birthday long weekend.
If you’re anything like us, you’re already planning exactly how you should spend the day — which can be a tad tricky when it’s not always clear what, exactly, will be open. Scroll on for a round-up of what will be open on the King’s Birthday long weekend, from grocery stores to bottle-os and petrol stations.
Who Has Monday Off?
Monday, June 9 will be a public holiday in all states except Queensland and Western Australia.
Don’t worry, those two states *do* still get a public holiday for Charles’ birthday, just not yet. In 2025, WA will observe the King’s Birthday long weekend on Monday, 29 September (except for Karratha and Port Hedland, who will get a holiday on Monday, August 4) and Queensland on Monday, October 6.
Is It Actually the King's Birthday?
Errr, no. The King’s Birthday long weekend doesn’t actually align with the birthday of King Charles III. The King was born on November 14.
Since 1748, the marking of the Sovereign’s Official Birthday has been aligned with the annual Trooping The Colour military parade.
what's open on the public holiday?
Supermarkets
Coles
- Open: All Coles stores in QLD, NSW, WA, VIC, ACT and TAS will open.
- Reduced hours: Some stores in NT will have reduced hours. Look up your local store for more info and exact hours.
- Mostly closed: Most SA Coles stores will be closed.
Woolies
Open: All Woolworths stores in NSW, ACT, VIC, WLD, WA, and TAS will be open.
Mostly open: Most SA and NT stores will be open, but be sure to double check your local to be certain.
Aldi
Open: Aldi stores in NSW, VIC, ACT will be open.
Mostly open: Most stores in SA will be open, though trading hours may vary so check your local store to be super-sure.
IGA
- Mostly open: IGA stores are expected to be open in most states. However, IGAs are independently-owned businesses so opening hours will vary, and while some stores will operate as usual, others may have reduced hours.
Harris Farm Markets
- Mostly open: Most Harris Farm Markets stores around the country will be open this King’s Birthday public holiday.
Retailers
Kmart
Open: Kmart stores in QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, NT, ACT and WA will all open this King’s Birthday long weekend.
Reduced hours: Most SA Kmarts will have reduced hours, opening between 11am and 5pm.
Bunnings
Open: Bunnings in QLD and WA will be open.
Reduced hours: NSW, VIC, TAS, ACT, SA and NT stores will be open with reduced hours.
Big W
Open: All Big W stores around the country will be open, though some stores might have reduced hours.
Chemist Warehouse
- Open: Chemist Warehouse in QLD and WA will be open.
Reduced hours: Most Chemist Warehouse locations in SA, NT, NSW, VIC, ACT and TAS will be open with reduced hours, so check your local store for details.
Westfield
Open: Westfields in QLD and WA will all be open.
Mostly open: Most NSW and ACT stores will be open except Grafton, Inverell, Lismore, Toronto and Gunnedah.
- Reduced hours: All Westfields in VIC will be open between 10am and 5pm.
Closed: All SAWestfield stores will be shut this long weekend.
Bottle-os
Dan Murphy's
Reduced hours: All Dan Murphy’s stores across Australia will have slightly reduced hours, so check your local for details.
BWS
Reduced hours: All BWS stores across Australia will have slightly reduced hours, so check your local for details.
Liquorland
- Reduced hours: All Liquorland stores in the ACT and TAS will operate with reduced hours, as will most stores in NSW, NT, VIC and SA.
Cafes & Restaurants
Most shops, restaurants, bars, cafes and hospitality venues around the country will be open on the King’s Birthday long weekend. However, you can possibly expect them to operate at reduced hours and/or slap a public holiday surcharge onto your bill.
Check your fave local for exact details.
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