ACT Public Holidays

Held on the second Monday of March, the Australian Capital Territory commemorates the official naming of Canberra in 1913. Lady Denman, wife of the Governor-General Lord Denman was the one who named the territory in front of a crowd of 5000 guests. The long weekend allows people to enjoy the various activities of the Canberra Festival which is celebrated annually from the 11-20th of March each year. Families have their choice of amusements, ranging from live concerts, park rides and a variety of food stalls.

The Canberra Citizen of the Year is also named during the Canberra Festival. The award is given to citizen who has demonstrated important contributions towards humanitarian efforts such as volunteering for the terminally ill, assisting refugees, advocating for the disabled and elderly and contributing to charitable organisations.

Launching in 2018, Canberra will be the first state to institute a public holiday to mark the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, which was passed to officially include Aboriginal Australians in the Australian population. The vote was unanimously passed with 90% of the Australian public voting yes. The holiday is designed to celebrate and reflect upon the success of the reconciliation process and for the Indigenous community to engage and educate the public on the many issues they still face today. The holiday replaces the Family and Community Day that was previously held in September and marks the start of Reconciliation Week.

There are a number of events people can partake in to celebrate Reconciliation week, from cultural exchange programs involving a day long immersion in Tasmanian Aboriginal heritage and culture, to a public breakfast with Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Social Justice Commissioner to discuss opportunities for greater reconciliation across the community.