Homepage News Melbourne Discovery 2026 Where to Go in Australia This December | Christmas and New Year's Eve Events Guide: Melbourne Carols, Boxing Day Test, Sydney Fireworks
Nov 14, 2026
Melbourne Discovery

2026 Where to Go in Australia This December | Christmas and New Year's Eve Events Guide: Melbourne Carols, Boxing Day Test, Sydney Fireworks

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December 2026 is a summer Christmas in Australia. Melbourne has free attractions such as Christmas Square and the Myer Christmas Windows, Carols by Candlelight on 24 December, and the Boxing Day Test between Australia and New Zealand at the MCG from 26 December. Sydney adds the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and two New Year's Eve fireworks displays, at 9pm and midnight.

This guide focuses on Melbourne, then covers Sydney, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart. Every date and price has been checked against the organiser or a state government website. Where details had not been released as at 14 November 2026 (Melbourne's and Brisbane's New Year's Eve programmes, for example), we say so rather than guess.

Contents

1. Before you go: December public holidays and summer safety

In 2026, Christmas Day falls on a Friday and Boxing Day on a Saturday, so most states add a public holiday on Monday 28 December. This is what each state or territory government lists:

State/territory December public holidays
VIC 25 and 26 Dec, plus 28 Dec (because Boxing Day is a Saturday)
NSW and ACT 25, 26 and 28 Dec (additional day)
QLD 24 Dec 6pm to midnight; 25, 26 and 28 Dec
WA 25, 26 and 28 Dec
SA 24 and 31 Dec 7pm to midnight; 25 Dec; 26 Dec Proclamation Day; 28 Dec additional day
TAS 25 Dec; Boxing Day moves to Monday 28 Dec
NT 24 and 31 Dec 7pm to midnight; 25, 26 and 28 Dec

New Year's Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is a public holiday nationwide. Some holidays only cover part of a day, such as Christmas Eve from 7pm in South Australia.

Sun, heat and bushfire safety

If you are coming from the Northern Hemisphere, December here means long, hot days, so plan for heat as well as festivities.

  • Sun: SunSmart advises covering up whenever the UV index is 3 or above. Check the local UV level in the SunSmart Global UV app before heading out.
  • Heat: the Bureau of Meteorology publishes heatwave forecasts. Victoria's Better Health Channel recommends staying cool and drinking enough water. In a medical emergency such as heatstroke, call 000.
  • Bushfire: Fire Danger Ratings have four levels: Moderate, High, Extreme and Catastrophic. Check CFA in Victoria or the NSW RFS in New South Wales. On a Total Fire Ban day, outdoor fire use is tightly restricted; check CFA's "Can I or Can't I" guidance before using a barbecue, and check before driving into the countryside.
  • Beaches: healthdirect advises always swimming between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches.

2. Melbourne at Christmas: the free events

The City of Melbourne's Christmas programme begins on 27 November. Most December events are free and close enough to walk between in the CBD.

Christmas Square and the tree at Fed Square

The 17.5-metre tree at Fed Square is lit on Friday 27 November, 6pm to 9pm, at a free event. Christmas Square then runs all day from 27 November to 25 December, with light and sound shows and glowing bell swings. It is free and no booking is needed. Christmas decorations around the city also stay up until 25 December.

Myer Christmas Windows, Bourke Street

Now in their 71st season, the windows tell Disney and Pixar's Toy Story picture book Merry Christmas Woody across six displays. Myer lists the dates as 7 November 2026 to 5 January 2027 at 314–336 Bourke St, and viewing is free. The Toy Story Play Zone in the basement is open until Christmas Eve, daily from 10:30am to 6pm between 6 and 24 December.

Queen Victoria Market's Christmas Night Market

The market runs on 25 November and on 2, 9 and 16 December (all Wednesdays), 5pm to 10pm, with free entry. Expect gift stalls, ready-to-eat food, live entertainment, a free professional Christmas photo and a free reindeer petting zoo.

Along the Yarra: River Show, Carnival and Christmas Cinema

  • Crown Christmas River Show: nightly from 4 to 25 December, 9pm to 11pm, on the Yarra Promenade outside Crown, between Queens and Kings bridges. A water, laser and light show. Free.
  • Christmas Carnival: 11 to 24 December, 2pm to 10:30pm, at Birrarung Marr. Entry is free; ride coupons are sold on site, at AUD 8 for kids' rides and from AUD 12 for adult rides.
  • Christmas Cinema: festive films at The Capitol, 113 Swanston St, on 19, 20 and 24 December. Tickets are AUD 10 for adults and AUD 5 for students and concession holders.

3. Melbourne: Carols, the Boxing Day Test and New Year's Eve

Carols by Candlelight (24 December)

Vision Australia's Carols by Candlelight is held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Thursday 24 December, with a Rehearsal Night on 23 December. For Christmas Eve, the official ticket page lists General Admission lawn tickets at AUD 88 for adults, AUD 55 for children under 16 and eligible concession holders, and AUD 189 for a family of two adults and two children. Reserved stalls range from AUD 202 to AUD 279. Rehearsal Night lawn tickets are AUD 41 for adults and AUD 28 for concession. Lawn concession rates include student cardholders, subject to Ticketek's conditions. According to the FAQs, gates open at 4pm and the show starts at 8pm. Alcohol and glass are not allowed. If you miss out, it is broadcast live on Channel 9 and 9Now.

The Boxing Day Test: Australia v New Zealand (26–30 December)

Cricket Australia's 2026–27 schedule, published on cricket.com.au, includes the first four-Test series between the two countries. The third Test is the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, 26 to 30 December, starting at 10:30am AEDT each day. The MCG says tickets for each day are on sale through Ticketek, but the official pages do not list prices, so check Ticketek directly.

Christmas Day trading and the Boxing Day sales

Business Victoria lists Christmas Day as a restricted trading day. Only exempt shops, such as chemists, petrol shops, restaurants, cafes, takeaway outlets and small shops under the staff limits, can open. Large department stores and supermarkets are not on the exempt list, so check each store's own trading hours.

New Year's Eve in Melbourne (31 December)

As at 14 November 2026, the City of Melbourne's NYE website only says "Stay tuned". Fireworks times and family zones for 2026 have not been announced. The one confirmed detail is that the City of Melbourne's New Year's Eve is an alcohol-free event, and fines apply. In 2025 the state government announced four free family Celebration Zones with fireworks from 9:30pm, but for 2026, check the official site.

Getting around

The Victorian Government has made public transport half price statewide from 1 June 2026 until 1 January 2027. The maximum full-fare daily cost drops from AUD 11.40 to AUD 5.70; just tap your myki as usual and the discount applies automatically.

4. Sydney: Christmas markets, the yacht race and NYE fireworks

Martin Place tree and markets

The City of Sydney lights the Martin Place Christmas tree on 26 November, with a sound and light show every evening until 5 January 2027. Martin Place Christmas Markets open on 28 November and then run every Wednesday to Saturday until Christmas Eve, 11am to 9:15pm, with free entry. Choirs sing beneath the tree from 6pm to 8pm each night from 1 to 21 December, and there are free Christmas street fairs in Potts Point on 5 December and Surry Hills on 12 December.

Carols in the Domain (19 December)

The Salvation Army's Carols in the Domain is on Saturday 19 December 2026. General admission in the Festive Lawn precinct is free, with paid reserved areas also available. It is broadcast on Channel 7 and 7plus.

Sydney to Hobart start (26 December)

According to the NSW Government, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts at 1pm on Saturday 26 December, with the start location listed as Nielsen Park on Sydney Harbour. The race website reported 107 confirmed starters on 13 November. The race website's Spectators page lists land-based viewpoints such as South Head and North Head. An on-water exclusion zone applies from 12pm to 2:20pm, and passive craft such as kayaks and paddleboards cannot anchor or stop around it.

Sydney New Year's Eve (31 December)

The official Sydney New Year's Eve website (City of Sydney) lists fireworks at 9pm and midnight and 49 vantage points around the harbour:

  • Free and alcohol-free: Darling Harbour, Dawes Point, Hickson Road Reserve, Campbells Cove, Circular Quay east and west, Cremorne Point and others.
  • Free, BYO alcohol allowed: Birchgrove Park, Elkington Park and Giba Park.
  • Ticketed: Blues Point, Lower Bradfield Park, Luna Park, Taronga Zoo (AUD 125–1,000), North Sydney Olympic Pool (adults AUD 250) and others. Some are already sold out.

The official viewing guide says most free vantage points are alcohol-free, glass and large bags are often banned, and most sites do not allow re-entry. Circular Quay Station closes from 3pm to midnight, so use Wynyard, Martin Place or St James instead.

5. Brisbane and the Gold Coast

  • Brisbane City Christmas tree: Visit Brisbane lists the lighting of the 22-metre tree in King George Square on 27 November, 6:30pm to 9pm. The tree stays on display until 1 January 2027. Free.
  • Brisbane NYE: 2026 fireworks times had not been announced as at 14 November. Check Brisbane City Council and Visit Brisbane.
  • Gold Coast: the Mayor's Christmas Carols is at HOTA on 28 and 29 November, not in December. Details for New Year's Eve 2026 had not been announced as at 14 November.
  • Transport: Translink fares in Queensland are a flat 50 cents (AUD 0.50) on buses, trains, ferries and trams, Airtrain excepted, including Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

6. Perth, Adelaide and Hobart

  • Perth: the first Test against New Zealand is at Perth Stadium on 9–13 December, starting at 10:20am WST. Lotterywest lists the City of Perth's 2026 Christmas Lights Trail as running from 27 November to 27 December, free. Details of the 2026 NYE fireworks are also yet to be announced.
  • Adelaide: the second Test is at Adelaide Oval on 17–21 December, starting at 11am ACDT. The famous Christmas Pageant is on 14 November, not in December.
  • Hobart: the Sydney to Hobart fleet's arrival depends on conditions. Tasmania's Taste of Summer runs from 27 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. It is ticketed; see the official website for prices.

7. December 2026 events at a glance

Date Event City Cost
27 Nov–25 Dec Christmas Square Melbourne Free
7 Nov–5 Jan Myer Christmas Windows Melbourne Free
2, 9, 16 Dec QVM Christmas Night Market Melbourne Free entry
4–25 Dec Crown Christmas River Show Melbourne Free
11–24 Dec Christmas Carnival Melbourne Free entry; rides from AUD 8
24 Dec Carols by Candlelight Melbourne AUD 55–279
26–30 Dec Boxing Day Test Melbourne Paid (Ticketek)
31 Dec City of Melbourne NYE Melbourne TBA (alcohol-free)
26 Nov–5 Jan Martin Place tree (markets to 24 Dec) Sydney Free
19 Dec Carols in the Domain Sydney Free area / paid seats
26 Dec Sydney to Hobart start Sydney Land viewpoints
31 Dec Sydney NYE fireworks Sydney Free / ticketed
To 1 Jan King George Square tree Brisbane Free
9–13 Dec First Test v NZ Perth Paid
17–21 Dec Second Test v NZ Adelaide Paid
27 Dec–3 Jan Taste of Summer Hobart Paid

8. Tips for international students: work, time zones and planning

December is peak season for retail and hospitality, so many students and backpackers are asked to take extra shifts. Pay for working on a public holiday is set under the Fair Work modern award rules. Your actual rate depends on your award or enterprise agreement, so check the Fair Work public holidays page. Fair Work also states that all employees have a right to be absent from work on a public holiday.

For video calls home: in December, Melbourne and Sydney are on daylight saving time (UTC+11). That puts them 16 hours ahead of Colombia (UTC−5) and 9 hours ahead of South Africa (UTC+2), so midnight in Melbourne is 8am on 31 December in Bogotá and 3pm in Johannesburg. Brisbane does not use daylight saving and is one hour behind Melbourne.

  1. Confirm your roster early: ask whether you are working on 24, 25, 26, 28 and 31 December, and keep it in writing.
  2. Check your payslip: after a public holiday shift, make sure the hours are shown as public holiday hours.
  3. Start with free events: Christmas Square, the River Show and the QVM night market need no tickets.
  4. Book paid events early: Carols and the Boxing Day Test are sold through Ticketek.
  5. Plan for the heat: carry water, sunscreen and a hat, and check fire danger ratings before leaving the city.

FAQ

Who is playing in the 2026 Boxing Day Test, and when?

According to cricket.com.au, Australia plays New Zealand at the MCG from 26 to 30 December, starting at 10:30am AEDT each day. Tickets are sold through Ticketek.

Is Carols by Candlelight in Melbourne free?

No. Christmas Eve lawn tickets are AUD 88 for adults and AUD 55 for concession; Rehearsal Night lawn tickets on 23 December are AUD 41 for adults. You can also watch live on Channel 9 and 9Now.

Is 28 December 2026 a public holiday?

Yes. Because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, VIC, NSW, QLD, WA, the ACT and the NT have a holiday on 28 December. South Australia has an additional day for Proclamation Day, and Tasmania observes Boxing Day itself on 28 December.

Can I bring alcohol to Sydney's New Year's Eve?

Most free vantage points are alcohol-free. Only a few, such as Birchgrove Park, Elkington Park and Giba Park, are listed as BYO. Check your chosen site on the official vantage point map.

What time are Melbourne's NYE fireworks?

As at 14 November 2026, the City of Melbourne had not announced 2026 fireworks times. It has only confirmed that the event is alcohol-free. Watch the City of Melbourne NYE website for updates.

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Further reading

Sources

Disclaimer: 1. This article is general information only and is not migration or legal advice. 2. We have a qualified education agent counsellor (QEAC #2822) who can help with study planning, but visa decisions rest with the Australian Government. 3. Figures and rules are as shown on official pages accessed on 2026-11-14. 4. Course details, fees, start dates, and migration policies are subject to change. Please check the latest announcements from the school and the Australian Department of Home Affairs.
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