• Get Started

CANBERRA DAY (ACT)

When is Canberra Day (ACT) in 2025?

Canberra Day (ACT) in 2025 is on the Monday, 10th of Mar (3/10/2025).

Canberra Day (ACT) is on the 69th day of 2025. There are 296 days left in the year.

Canberra Day (ACT) Facts

  • Date: Mar 10, 2025
  • National
  • Also Called:
  • Celebrations: Celebrations; festivals, reading, partying, traveling
Canberra Day (ACT) iImage Credit: PixaBay.com

The Australian Capital Territory observes Canberra Day as a public holiday on the second Monday in March. The holiday commemorates the day the Australian capital was named in the year 1913 by the wife of General Lord Denman who was the governor at the time. Canberra Day has been in celebration for more than a hundred years.

History of Canberra Day

The Canberra region of the present day Australia was inhabited by the Ngunnawal people for over 20000 years. The indigenous Australians continued to live there even after Europeans settled there in the 1820s. However, as time went on, the numbers of these people declined.

By 1911, European settlement in Australia had expanded, and Canberra became a center of attraction to many. In fact, the city got into an international competition which had more than 130 entries, and Canberra was chosen as the new capital for Australia. An American architect namely Walter Griffin and his wife Marion Griffin also won the competition to design the new city. The architect planned the city of Canberra with large buildings and parks with several water features. The plan also included wide boulevards and green bands that surrounded settlement areas.

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) was then declared in 1911, but it became a self-governing territory in 1989. The city of Canberra was named on March 12, 1913, in a ceremony that was graced by the wife of the sitting governor at the time, General Lord Denman.

Over the years, Canberra Day was celebrated on the third Monday of March until 2008 when the date was officially changed to the second Monday of March.

Today, Canberra is the heart of ACT and has also become the hub for the Australia federal politics.

How to Celebrate Canberra Day

You can celebrate Canberra Day by attending the Canberra festival. The festival entails a month-long series of events such as concerts, car shows, performances among other activities.

Also get to learn more about the city of Canberra and how the Australian capital was established. Some of the best books with this information include The Fatal Shore, The Epic of Australia’s Founding and The Unauthorized History of Australia.

Another great way to mark the day would be to host a Canberra Celebration at home. Invite friends and family members and make it lively by engaging in exciting activities. For instance, you can place cutouts of interesting Canberra facts in a box and help everyone learn more about the city.

Considering that the holiday falls on a long weekend, plan a getaway out of the city. For instance, you can take a break from the buzzle of the city and enjoy the countryside by barbecuing, camping with friends or just relaxing alone.

This is also the perfect family day out. Visit any of the various parks in the city of Canberra and have the kids enjoy the thrill of amusement park rides, face painting and dances by live bands. There is also a range of exhibitions, sporting activities and theatrical performances you can enjoy on this day. You can then wrap it all by indulging in a shopping treat. Most of the retail stores will be running amazing Canberra Day discounts.

Remember to spread awareness about this special day on social media using the hashtags #CanberraDay and #CelebrateCanberraDay.

Interesting Facts about Canberra

• The Canberra city has been home to Australia’s executive, legislature and judiciary arms of government for more than 100 years.

• Besides being one of the most beautiful, secure and cleanest cities in the world, Canberra has many attractions among them, Australian War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, National Capital Exhibition and National Film and Sound Archive.

• The city of Canberra is surrounded by a humanmade lake known as Lake Burley Griffin.

• The term Canberra means meeting place

• Before Canberra finally became Australia’s capital, politicians had suggested other towns like Orange, Dalgety, Albury, and Tumut.

Canberra Day (ACT) Observances

DAY
DATE
HOLIDAY NAME
  • Mon
  • Mar 14, 2016
  • Mon
  • Mar 13, 2017
  • Mon
  • Mar 12, 2018
  • Mon
  • Mar 11, 2019
  • Mon
  • Mar 09, 2020

List of National and Regional Public Holidays of Australia in 2025

DAYDATEHOLIDAY
WednesdayWedJan 01, 2025Jan 01New Year's Day
MondayMonJan 27, 2025Jan 27Australia Day
MondayMonMar 03, 2025Mar 03Labour Day (WA)
MondayMonMar 10, 2025Mar 10Canberra Day (ACT)
MondayMonMar 10, 2025Mar 10Eight Hours Day (TAS)
MondayMonMar 10, 2025Mar 10Labour Day (VIC)
FridayFriApr 18, 2025Apr 18Good Friday
SundaySunApr 20, 2025Apr 20Easter Sunday
MondayMonApr 21, 2025Apr 21Easter Monday
FridayFriApr 25, 2025Apr 25Anzac Day
MondayMonMay 05, 2025May 05May Day (NT)
MondayMonJun 02, 2025Jun 02Western Australia Day (WA)
MondayMonJun 09, 2025Jun 09King's Birthday (Most region)
MondayMonAug 04, 2025Aug 04Picnic Day (NT)
MondayMonSep 29, 2025Sep 29King's Birthday (WA)
MondayMonOct 06, 2025Oct 06Labour Day (Most Region)
MondayMonOct 06, 2025Oct 06King's Birthday (QLD)
ThursdayThuDec 25, 2025Dec 25Christmas Day
FridayFriDec 26, 2025Dec 26Boxing Day
WednesdayWedDec 31, 2025Dec 31New Year's Eve

List of Popular Celebration Days of United States in 2025

DAYDATEHOLIDAY
SundaySunJan 12, 2025Jan 12National Pharmacists Day
SundaySunJan 19, 2025Jan 19National Popcorn Day
SundaySunFeb 02, 2025Feb 02Groundhog Day
WednesdayWedFeb 05, 2025Feb 05National Signing Day
FridayFriFeb 07, 2025Feb 07National Wear Red Day
SundaySunFeb 09, 2025Feb 09National Pizza Day
ThursdayThuFeb 13, 2025Feb 13Galentine's Day
FridayFriFeb 14, 2025Feb 14Valentine's Day
SaturdaySatFeb 15, 2025Feb 15National Bagel Day
TuesdayTueFeb 18, 2025Feb 18National Drink Wine Day
SaturdaySatFeb 22, 2025Feb 22National Margarita Day
TuesdayTueMar 04, 2025Mar 04National Pancake Day
FridayFriMar 07, 2025Mar 07National Cereal Day
FridayFriMar 07, 2025Mar 07National Employee Appreciation Day
SundaySunMar 09, 2025Mar 09Daylight savings
MondayMonMar 10, 2025Mar 10National Napping Day
FridayFriMar 14, 2025Mar 14National Walkout Day
FridayFriMar 14, 2025Mar 14National Pi Day
ThursdayThuMar 20, 2025Mar 20National Proposal Day
SundaySunMar 23, 2025Mar 23National Puppy Day
SundaySunMar 30, 2025Mar 30National Doctor Day
WednesdayWedApr 02, 2025Apr 02National Walking Day
ThursdayThuApr 03, 2025Apr 03National Burrito Day
MondayMonApr 07, 2025Apr 07National Beer Day
FridayFriApr 11, 2025Apr 11National Pet Day
SaturdaySatApr 12, 2025Apr 12National Grilled Cheese Day
ThursdayThuMay 01, 2025May 01National Day Of Prayer
SundaySunMay 11, 2025May 11Mother's Day
SundaySunMay 25, 2025May 25National Towel Day
SundaySunMay 25, 2025May 25National Wine Day
FridayFriJun 06, 2025Jun 06National Donut Day
SundaySunJun 08, 2025Jun 08National Best Friends Day
SundaySunJun 15, 2025Jun 15Father's Day
SaturdaySatJun 21, 2025Jun 21National Selfie Day
SundaySunJun 22, 2025Jun 22National Kissing Day
SundaySunJul 13, 2025Jul 13National French Fry Day
MondayMonJul 14, 2025Jul 14National Nude Day
WednesdayWedJul 16, 2025Jul 16National Hot Dog Day
SundaySunJul 20, 2025Jul 20National Ice Cream Day
WednesdayWedJul 23, 2025Jul 23Amazon Prime Day
ThursdayThuJul 24, 2025Jul 24National Tequila Day
TuesdayTueJul 29, 2025Jul 29National Chicken Wing Day
FridayFriAug 01, 2025Aug 01National Girlfriends Day
SundaySunAug 03, 2025Aug 03National Sister Day
ThursdayThuSep 18, 2025Sep 18National Cheeseburger Day
FridayFriOct 03, 2025Oct 03National Boyfriends Day
SaturdaySatOct 04, 2025Oct 04National Vodka Day
SaturdaySatOct 04, 2025Oct 04National Taco Day
ThursdayThuOct 09, 2025Oct 09Leif Erikson Day
SaturdaySatOct 18, 2025Oct 18Sweetest Day
WednesdayWedOct 29, 2025Oct 29National Cat Day
FridayFriOct 31, 2025Oct 31Halloween
MondayMonNov 03, 2025Nov 03National Sandwich Day
FridayFriNov 28, 2025Nov 28Black Friday
MondayMonDec 01, 2025Dec 01Cyber Monday
SaturdaySatDec 06, 2025Dec 06Candle Day
TuesdayTueDec 09, 2025Dec 09National Pastry Day
FridayFriDec 19, 2025Dec 19National Ugly Sweater day