In 2026, Easter Trading Hours in Australia follow a predictable pattern: Good Friday is a near-total retail shutdown, Easter Saturday feels like a normal shopping day, Easter Sunday brings mixed closures and restrictions, and Easter Monday operates on reduced public holiday hours.
The ACT and NT allow largely unrestricted trading, while NSW, QLD, SA, and WA enforce strict rules on large retailers, especially on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Major supermarkets and shopping centres often close on Good Friday and run on shortened hours over the weekend, making it essential to check official retailer updates or state guides before heading out.
Easter 2026 brings a four‑day long weekend, and Easter Trading Hours in Australia are a patchwork of state rules, retail restrictions and supermarket quirks that can easily catch you out. Knowing what’s open — and when — will save you from turning up to a closed shopping centre, bottle shop or supermarket on the one weekend you really wanted a relaxed shop.
Below are 7 key things to know about Easter Trading Hours in 2026, examples and links to detailed state‑by‑state guides and major retailer schedules.
1. Easter Dates 2026 and Why They Matter for Trading
First, the calendar. For 2026, Easter falls on:
- Good Friday – Friday 3 April 2026
- Easter Saturday – Saturday 4 April 2026
- Easter Sunday – Sunday 5 April 2026
- Easter Monday – Monday 6 April 2026
All four days are public holidays in at least some states and territories, but not all carry the same retail restrictions. Good Friday is the most tightly regulated day for Easter Trading Hours nationwide, while Easter Saturday tends to be the closest thing to “normal trading.”
The National Retail Association’s Easter public holiday trading hours 2026 explainer uses these dates as the base for state‑by‑state tables, which is a good reference if you want an official‑style snapshot. Fair Work’s 2026 public holidays list is also handy to check how these days are treated in your state or territory.
2. State‑by‑State Rules: The Big Picture
A key thing to understand about Easter Trading Hours is that trading laws are mostly state‑based, and the rules vary considerably. Broadly:
- ACT and Northern Territory: trading hours are deregulated — no specific restrictions over Easter.
- New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia: have varying “restricted trading days” that shut or limit large shops on Good Friday and (often) Easter Sunday.
- Tasmania: more flexible, but still restricts big shops on Good Friday.
The National Retail Association’s Easter Trading Hours page lays this out in tables for each jurisdiction, and lifestyle sites like Man of Many summarise it in consumer‑friendly grids showing what’s open in each state on each day.
The upshot: you can’t assume that because shops were open last Easter in your state, the same will apply this year — always check up‑to‑date state or retailer information when planning your long weekend errands.
3. Good Friday: The Most Restricted Day
Good Friday (3 April 2026) is the day where Easter Trading Hours are tightest. Across most of Australia, big retail shuts its doors.
From the National Retail Association and Man of Many summaries:
- New South Wales
- Good Friday is a restricted trading day.
- Large “general retail” shops must close, with only limited exempt categories allowed to open (e.g. small shops, pharmacies, petrol, certain tourist services).
- Victoria
- Good Friday is a restricted trading day; major supermarkets and shopping centres are closed.
- Queensland
- Good Friday is a restricted trading day.
- A state government PDF on allowable trading hours over Easter 2026 confirms non‑exempt large shops (excluding hardware) must remain closed.
- South Australia
- Western Australia
- ACT & NT
Man of Many’s Easter Trading Hours 2026: What’s Open (and Closed) guide boils this down to “closed almost everywhere” for large shops on Good Friday, with only essential services and some smaller exempt stores operating.
4. Easter Saturday: Mostly Back to Normal
Easter Saturday (4 April) is generally the least restricted day in the long weekend. Most states treat it as a “normal Saturday” for trading hours, even though it sits between two public holidays.
According to NRA and consumer guides:
- ACT, NT: no restrictions; normal or near‑normal trading.
- NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS, WA: large stores and shopping centres are open with normal or slightly reduced hours.
- SA: major metro areas are open but sometimes with shortened hours; NRA notes restrictions in parts of Adelaide CBD, metro and Glenelg in terms of closing time.
For example, the NRA’s South Australia table lists Easter Saturday as “restricted to Adelaide CBD, Metro and Glenelg only and only until 5.00pm.” Man of Many’s state grid describes Easter Saturday as “largely normal trading nationwide,” with some regions using typical weekend closing times.
This makes Easter Saturday your safest bet for major shopping runs — but it’s still worth checking individual centre or supermarket pages, especially in SA and WA, where closing times can differ.
5. Easter Sunday: Confusing Mix of Closed and Open
Easter Sunday (5 April) is where Easter Trading Hours get confusing, because rules diverge significantly between states.
From the NRA and Man of Many summaries:
- NSW
- Easter Sunday is a restricted trading day.
- Large shops are generally required to close; some smaller or exempt stores may trade.
- Victoria
- Easter Sunday is not a restricted day for most retail; many stores open with public‑holiday hours.
- Queensland
- Easter Sunday is a restricted or “limited trading” day, with different rules by region; some larger retailers may open in certain zones, others remain closed.
- South Australia
- Western Australia
- Easter Sunday trading is regulated; NRA cites general retail in Perth metro allowed 11am–5pm, with earlier closures elsewhere.
- ACT, NT
Man of Many’s state table summarises this as “Closed (Majors)” for NSW, “Most stores open” for VIC, “Limited (Varies)” for QLD, “Open (11am–5pm)” for WA, and “Closed (Majors)” or “CBD only” style limits for SA.
Because Easter Sunday is less intuitive than Good Friday, sites like Man of Many’s Easter Trading Hours 2026 guide and NRA’s state tables are invaluable for planning.
6. Easter Monday: Public Holiday Hours, Not a Lockdown
Easter Monday (6 April) is a public holiday Australia‑wide, but it’s much looser than Good Friday or Easter Sunday when it comes to Easter Trading Hours.
Key points:
- Most states allow major retail to open with public‑holiday hours — typically shorter than usual weekdays (e.g. 8am–6pm or 10am–7pm).
- NRA tables list “no restrictions” for ACT, NT, NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS and WA in terms of trading law, with SA having some area‑based restrictions (e.g. Adelaide CBD only until 5pm).
- In practice, many supermarkets and shopping centres run reduced hours on Easter Monday even when allowed to open.
The New Daily’s Easter long weekend supermarket trading hours 2026 article notes that Easter Monday is generally “open” in NSW, ACT, QLD, VIC and WA, with some variation in South Australia by location.
Man of Many similarly tags Easter Monday as “Open (Public Holiday)” in most states and “Open (CBD only)” or similar for SA. So, while you can usually shop, you should expect shorter hours and double‑check specific stores before heading out.
7. Supermarket and Shopping Centre Easter Trading Hours
Even once you understand the legal backdrop, you still need to know how individual chains use those rules in practice. Major supermarkets and centres publish their Easter Trading Hours close to the long weekend, but there are clear patterns.
From 7NEWS and The New Daily rundowns for 2026:
Woolworths
7NEWS lists Woolworths Easter hours roughly as:
- Good Friday: all Woolworths stores CLOSED (with very limited exceptions in some WA/SA tourist areas).
- Easter Saturday: all stores OPEN, some Metros closed or with reduced hours.
- Easter Sunday: many stores CLOSED in NSW and SA; more open in VIC, QLD and WA (but often with reduced hours).
- Easter Monday: most stores OPEN, some Metro or regional stores on reduced hours — check local store pages.
Coles
The New Daily’s summary notes:
- Good Friday: Coles CLOSED nationally.
- Easter Saturday: most stores OPEN, often 7am–10pm.
- Easter Sunday: reduced hours and more closures in NSW and SA; broader trading in VIC, QLD, WA.
- Easter Monday: “public holiday” hours, typically shorter than usual.
ALDI, IGA, Bottle Shops and Centres
Man of Many’s Easter Trading Hours hub provides an at‑a‑glance summary:
- ALDI:
- Good Friday: CLOSED.
- Easter Saturday: OPEN with reduced hours (often 8:30am–7pm).
- Easter Sunday & Monday: limited or reduced hours depending on state.
- IGA:
- More flexibility, but many stores still close on Good Friday and operate reduced hours on Sunday and Monday, with variation by state and store.
- Liquor retailers (Liquorland, BWS, Dan Murphy’s):
- Good Friday: almost all CLOSED nationwide.
- Easter Saturday: OPEN (standard or slightly reduced hours).
- Easter Sunday & Monday: most OPEN with reduced or special public‑holiday hours, but some stores remain closed (especially premium “Cellar” stores or strict‑rule states).
- Shopping centres (e.g. Westfield):
- Good Friday: Centres CLOSED.
- Easter Saturday: OPEN with near‑normal trading.
- Easter Sunday: many centres CLOSED in NSW, more open in VIC and QLD with shortened hours; special cases like Westfield Tuggerah open 10am–5pm.
- Easter Monday: OPEN with public‑holiday hours.
Because each chain and centre publishes store‑specific hours, both 7NEWS and Man of Many repeatedly tell readers to use the “store locator” or official site links embedded in their Easter Trading Hours articles for precise opening times.
Conclusion
Understanding Easter Trading Hours in 2026 can save you a lot of frustration, whether you’re planning a big grocery shop, a family outing or just a quick bottle‑shop run over the long weekend. With Good Friday still the most restricted day, Easter Saturday largely back to normal, Easter Sunday a patchwork of state rules, and Easter Monday running on public‑holiday hours, a quick check of official state guides and supermarket store locators before you leave home is the safest way to avoid closed doors.
At the same time, Easter isn’t the only policy‑driven change shaping how Australians move around and spend their money. If you’re interested in how broader government decisions might change daily life—especially for commuters—it’s worth reading 10 Ways Free Public Transport Could Impact Victoria Residents, which explores how a shift to free fares could affect cost of living, congestion, local businesses and more.
FAQs About Easter Trading Hours 2026 in Australia
What are the Easter dates in 2026?
Easter includes Good Friday (3 April), Easter Saturday (4 April), Easter Sunday (5 April), and Easter Monday (6 April 2026).
Why are Easter Trading Hours different across Australia?
Because retail laws are set by each state and territory, meaning rules vary by location.
Are shops open on Good Friday 2026?
Most major supermarkets and shopping centres are closed, except for small exempt shops and essential services.
Are trading hours restricted in the ACT and Northern Territory?
No—ACT and NT have deregulated trading, though individual retailers may still close.
What’s different about Easter Saturday trading?
Easter Saturday is generally a normal shopping day, with most retailers open.
Why is Easter Sunday confusing?
Because some states restrict trading while others allow limited or reduced hours, creating inconsistent openings.
Are supermarkets open on Easter Sunday 2026?
It depends on the state and retailer, with many closures in NSW and SA, and more open stores in VIC, QLD, and WA.
What happens on Easter Monday?
Most stores are open with public holiday hours, though shorter trading times apply.
Where can I check official rules?
Refer to state government sites or retail association guides for accurate trading rules.
How do I check if my local store is open?
Use store locators or official retailer websites for location-specific hours.
Are bottle shops open over Easter?
They are typically closed on Good Friday, then open with reduced hours over the weekend.
Does this affect online shopping?
Online stores stay open, but delivery delays are common due to holiday logistics.
Are there different rules for small shops?
Yes—independent and small retailers often have more flexibility than large chains.
Does the stock market close for Easter?
Yes—the ASX closes on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Where can I find a simple overview?
Check news sites and retailer guides for easy, state-by-state breakdowns of trading hours.