Reply To: Australia at Easter [Is much closed?]

[louie]

I think maybe QFFlyer and I are answering different questions. FatherOfFour asked which “Sydney tourist attractions might be “out” over the Easter weekend”. I don’t know of any major tourist attractions which won’t be open – and I checked half a dozen before answering as I keep away from tourist attractions myself over the school holidays. Here’s a Sydney.com article with suggestions for activities for this Easter – https://www.sydney.com/travel-information/public-holidays/easter.

On the other hand, yes, quite a few cafes and maybe bars will be closed or run short hours, particularly those outside touristy areas. Australia’s labour laws are stuck in the 1960’s and require mandated multiples of salary to be paid to staff on public holidays (and normal Sundays to a lesser extent) which means many places cannot make a profit on public holidays, with the lose-lose-lose consequence that employees don’t get to work at all, employers make a loss on their fixed costs and customers get less choice of venues. And as advised above, those that open will probably charge 15% extra. The hotel bar you mention may be closed one day a week due to staffing issues; the backpackers on which they rely are coming back post-Covid but not yet at the level they were a few years ago.

Good Friday will indeed be quiet if shopping is your thing. My perception is that Good Friday is “the” Easter day in Oz, whilst I would say Easter Sunday is in the UK. Convenience stores will probably be open though. Some Government-run places (e.g. some museums) will be closed on the Friday (only).