Good Friday in 🇦🇺 Australia

Good Friday is a nationwide public holiday in Australia and carries some of the strictest trading restrictions of any day on the calendar. Most shops, pubs, and restaurants close, and alcohol sales are banned or heavily restricted in several states. It is one of the few days when even major shopping centers fall silent.

Australians observe the day with church services, quiet family time, and the traditional consumption of hot cross buns and seafood. Fish and chips is the default meal for many households, and fish markets do extraordinary business on the days leading up to Good Friday. The Sydney Fish Market holds its famous annual marathon auction, staying open for thirty-six hours straight to meet demand.

For many families, Good Friday marks the beginning of the Easter camping trip. National parks and coastal campgrounds fill up as Australians head outdoors to enjoy the autumn weather. In Victoria, the Bells Beach Rip Curl Pro surfing competition is traditionally held over the Easter weekend, drawing the world's best surfers.

Indigenous communities in some areas hold ceremonies that blend Christian observance with traditional Aboriginal spirituality. In cities, community groups organize Stations of the Cross walks through public parks and along harbor foreshores.

Christian observance commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, marked by solemn church services, fasting, the Stations of the Cross, and processions, observed two days before Easter Sunday.