Picnic Day in 2025
Originally declared a public holiday to enable Darwin's railway workers to go to Adelaide River for a picnic.
When is Picnic Day?
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2026 | |
| 2025 | |
| 2024 |
When is Picnic day?
Picnic Day is a regional public holiday observed in Northern Territory of Australia.
Picnic Day is celebrated on the first Monday in August.
History of Picnic Day
The tradition of having a picnic day dates back to the latter part of the 1800s, with several locations in the region proving popular and not all at the same time of the year.
The origin of the August holiday is unclear though it is most likely as a result of annual work picnic days being organised for Darwin's railway employees. The tradition became less popular in the 1920s with no record of any picnic days between 1926 and 1935.
It was 1936 before the custom of a Picnic Day as a public holiday on the first Monday in August was established.
A Picnic Day tradition is the Harts Range Races in Central Australia. Originating in 1947 as a horse race between three brothers and a local policeman, the event has grown into a three-day festival known as the "Harts Range Bush Sports Weekend" which includes rodeo, novelty and family events.