Labour Day

Labour Day is a public holiday in Victoria that will be observed on the 9th of March, 2026.

Labour Day reflects the social and political movement in the 1850s to secure an 8-hour working day for all Australians.

What better way to mark this special day than by taking a day off work! Most Australians get the day off and spend the day with their friends. Some great events are planned in Melbourne over the Labour Day weekend, and at the top of the list is the ever-popular Moomba Festival.

The Moomba festival is celebrated over four days, with locals, tourists and visitors joining in on the festivities on the sun-soaked banks of the Yarra River to celebrate the event. The festival features a parade that runs towards the city on St Kilda Road. Thousands of families attend it as they witness community groups who come each year to participate.

The Moomba Festival features numerous carnival rides, water sports, fireworks and special fun activities for kids. The nightly fireworks and the well-loved Birdman Rally are major drawcards of the event. The festival arena stays full every night as popular bands and singers perform to entertain the crowds.

Moomba-goers also love the carnival rides along the Yarra River. These include many smaller rides for kids and thrilling rides for teenagers and adults.

As Labour Day is a public holiday, some smaller stores are closed; however, larger supermarkets and shopping malls remain open. Movie theatres, restaurants, petrol stations, and many attractions in Melbourne, such as the Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Aquarium, Melbourne Museum, and the Melbourne Skydeck, remain open.