Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday in Australia will be observed on 5 April 2026. It is the central day of the Christian Easter season, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion. The date changes each year because Easter Sunday is calculated as the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the March equinox. In the Australian calendar, it forms part of the Easter long weekend, alongside Good Friday and Easter Monday, although public-holiday arrangements and employee entitlements can vary between states and territories.

Easter was established in Australia through European Christian traditions brought by British settlers, churches, and later migrant communities. Over time, religious observance has developed alongside widely shared secular customs, including chocolate eggs, family gatherings, community events, and autumn school holidays. For many Australians, Easter Sunday combines church worship and reflection with a broader seasonal celebration of renewal, family, generosity, and leisure. The holiday also reflects Australia’s multicultural society, with Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox, Eastern Christian, and other communities observing Easter according to differing liturgical calendars and customs.

Many Australian Christians begin Easter Sunday with a sunrise service or attend a morning church service featuring hymns, scripture readings, prayers, and the proclamation “Christ is risen” or “Happy Easter.” Some congregations hold an Easter vigil extending from Holy Saturday into Easter morning, while others decorate churches with flowers, candles, white and gold fabrics, and symbols such as the cross and the empty tomb. Common greetings include “Happy Easter,” “Blessed Easter,” and, in more explicitly religious settings, “Christ is risen” followed by “He is risen indeed.”

Family traditions often include Easter egg hunts, baskets of chocolate eggs, and chocolate rabbits, with children searching gardens or indoor spaces for treats. Popular foods include hot cross buns, which are especially associated with Good Friday but may also be eaten throughout the Easter period, as well as roast lamb, baked ham, seafood, cakes, and shared family meals. Australians may spend the long weekend visiting relatives, camping, travelling, attending agricultural or community events, or enjoying the beach and outdoors. In some regions, native bilbies are promoted as an Australian alternative to the introduced European rabbit through chocolate bilby campaigns, linking Easter celebrations with wildlife conservation.