England and Wales

2009

New Year’s Day - Thursday 1 January
Good Friday - Friday 10 April
Easter Monday - Monday 13 April
May Day Holiday - Monday 4 May
Spring Bank Holiday - Monday 25 May
Summer Bank Holiday - Monday 31 August
Christmas Day - Friday 25 December
Boxing Day - Monday 28 December

Scotland

2009

New Year’s Day - Thursday 1 January
2nd January - Friday 2 January
Good Friday - Friday 10 April
Easter Monday - Monday 13 April
May Day Holiday - Monday 4 May
Spring Bank Holiday - Monday 25 May
Summer Bank Holiday - Monday 3 August
Saint Andrew’s Day - Monday 30 November
Christmas Day - Friday 25 December
Boxing Day - Monday 28 December

Northern Ireland

2009

New Year’s Day - Thursday 1 January
Saint Patrick’s Day - Tuesday 17 March
Good Friday - Friday 10 April
May Day Holiday - Monday 4 May
Spring Bank Holiday - Monday 25 May
Orangeman’s Holiday - Monday 13 July
Summer Bank Holiday - Monday 31 August
Christmas Day - Friday 25 December
Boxing Day - Monday 28 December

Tourist Destinations in England

Cultural and heritage tourism

England’s tourist industry is principally “cultural” and “heritage” based, and many tourists are attracted to England because of its history, particularly in London (see Tourism in London).

Heritage Cities in England

* Bath: A spa, famous for its Regency architecture and crescents, and also for its Roman baths.
* Brighton: Brighton is a seaside resort which includes two piers, West Pier and Brighton Pier, and also has the Royal Pavilion.
* Bristol: Brunel’s Clifton suspension bridge is a famous landmark, and the ship, the SS Great Britain is another of Brunel’s famous constructions, which is now in dry dock in Bristol.
* Cambridge: A famous university town.
* Canterbury: Renowned for its cathedral.
* Dover: A major port with access to the continent. Also well known for its white cliffs, and to a lesser extent for its castle, Dover Castle.
* Haworth: where the Brontë Sisters lived, is very popular with Japanese tourists, as Wuthering Heights has a cult following in Japan.
* Liverpool: A major port and World Heritage Site, with two cathedrals, plus the most listed buildings in the UK outside of London. There is also an orchestra and art galleries.
* Oxford : now a busy commercial city, which also has a famous university.
* Nottingham : The city and Nottingham Castle are famed worldwide for their links with the legend of Robin Hood. Sherwood Forest is nearby.
* Portsmouth: Portsmouth is a naval dockyard, and has some famous ships on display, including the Mary Rose, and HMS Victory, all within its Historic Dockyard. Also home to Gunwharf Quays retail centre, with its iconic Spinnaker Tower.
* Salisbury: Salisbury cathedral is well known, and has the tallest spire in the country. Nearby is the pre-historic site of Stonehenge, which is administered by English Heritage.
* Stratford-upon-Avon: Shakespeare’s birthplace is probably the most visited place in Stratford
* Wells: best known for Wells Cathedral
* York: Famous for York Minster. Also the location of the National Railway Museum and a wealth of preserved medieval streets and buildings, such as the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall and the Shambles.

Other places in England are also of historical interest. The cities of Manchester and Birmingham are the two cities receiving the most foreign tourists after London. Many foreign tourists also visit the neighbouring countries Scotland and Wales – see tourism in Scotland and tourism in Wales.

Domestic tourists, and foreign tourists who have specific interests in art, music, history etc, also visit the following:

* Birmingham: A major city, with an orchestra, major exhibition venues (NEC, ICC) and art galleries. Of historical interest for its significant role in the industrial revolution. Also the childhood home and inspiration of Tolkien
* Hadrian’s Wall: The Roman wall built by order of the Emperor Hadrian.
* Hereford: A cathedral city, famous for the chained library in the cathedral, and the Mappa Mundi
* Ironbridge: The cradle of the industrial revolution and the site for the legendary Iron bridge.
* Manchester: A major city, famous for the Hallé orchestra and many museums and art galleries, a classic example of buildings from the Victorian era. Also well known for the Manchester Ship Canal. Home of Manchester United F.C., world famous football club, the host city of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Manchester is also known for being the world’s first industrialised city. Also noted for its shopping, cuisine and nightlife.
* Leeds: A base to explore the historic county of Yorkshire. It is popular for shopping, nightlife and museums, including the Henry Moore foundation.

Ecotourism

England also has some unique natural environments, and has a significant Ecotourism industry:

* Eden Project in Cornwall.
* The Lake District, a national park with hills and lakes, including Windermere, the largest lake in England.
* The Peak District, a national park in Derbyshire.
* Dartmoor and Exmoor, national parks in Devon.
* The New Forest, a rural forest park in Hampshire.
* The Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site in Dorset and Devon
* The National Forest, covering parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
* Center Parcs, a number of rural holiday parks.
* Plus various National Nature Reserves, Heritage Coasts and other protected areas.

Tourist Destinations in Scotland

* Edinburgh is the capital city, and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The Old and New Towns of the city constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Edinburgh is the largest tourist destination in Scotland, and the second largest in the United Kingdom after London. The cities’ major tourist attractions include Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Zoo, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Our Dynamic Earth and the Royal Mile. It has three universities including the University of Edinburgh founded in 1583.
* Glasgow is the largest city in the country, and the second largest tourist destination after Edinburgh. Its attractions include the Burrell Collection, Glasgow Cathedral, the Glasgow Science Centre and the Kelvingrove Museum. In addition to this many tourists come to Glasgow for its renowned Victorian architecture and Gothic architecture as well as its shopping. The city has three universities, including the University of Glasgow.
* Stirling is a historic town in central Scotland, some 30 miles to the north-west of Edinburgh, and is generally known as the “Gateway to the Highlands”, due to its geographical position between highland and lowland Scotland. Amongst its attractions are Stirling Castle and the Wallace National Monument.
* Aberdeen is known as the “Granite City” and is renowned for its gothic architecture. It is a city of approximately 210,000 people and serves as the main administrative centre for the north east of Scotland. With its large port and harbour, Aberdeen serves as the departure point for the many ferries that connect the Scottish mainland with the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland. Aberdeen also has two universities, and a large student population.
* St Andrews is a small, but busy town in north-east Fife. The royal burgh’s economy is centred around the golf industry, with St Andrews being regarded as the home of the modern game. The University of St Andrews (the oldest in Scotland) has colleges located throughout the town.
* Dundee is known as the “City of Discovery” and is the home of Scott of the Antarctic’s ship the RRS Discovery. Dundee has two universities. It has a Jute museum called Verdant Works, an Anchor Point of ERIH - The European Route of Industrial Heritage.
* Perth is a small but historic town on the east coast, which stands on the River Tay. Perth is known for its abundant parkland. Close by is the village of Scone, ancient capital of Scotland and former home to Scottish kings.
* Inverness is the administrative centre for the Highlands, close to Loch Ness and serves as a transport hub for much of the Highlands, with rail and bus services departing here to much of the northern and west Highlands. It is a popular destination for tourists wishing to explore the north of Scotland.

Other areas which are popular for tourists include the Highlands and the Hebrides, such as the Isle of Skye. Perthshire, the Scottish Borders and Orkney and Shetland are also popular tourism destinations.

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom, but there are many other significant mountains in Scotland, though by international standards all the mountains are relatively small. The Cuillin on the Isle of Skye offer some challenging climbs, such as the Inaccessible Pinnacle.

Scotland also has many lochs, including Loch Lomond, and Loch Ness, which is considered by some to be the home of the Loch Ness monster. There are also many rivers, which are good for salmon and fly fishing. These include the Tay, Tweed, Don, and Dee.

Scotland’s best known export is Scotch Whisky and over a million visitors a year[2]. enjoy a tour around its Whisky distilleries

Scotland has some good hunting, especially deer and grouse.

Scotland is also the home of golf, with many historic and famous courses including, St Andrews, Gleneagles, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, and Muirfield. There are hundreds of other courses in the country.

Tourist destinations in Wales
Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons National Park, South-East Wales

There are several towns and cities that are popular with tourists and visitors in Wales.

* Cardiff is the capital and largest city. Cardiff Bay is the site of the Wales Millennium Centre, a venue for the performing arts. The city’s other major tourist attractions include Cardiff Castle, Millennium Stadium, National Museum Cardiff, Museum of Welsh Life, Cardiff Bay, Techniquest, Senedd, Pierhead Building, Castell Coch, Llandaff Cathedral, St. David’s Cathedral and St. David’s Spa
* Swansea is the second-largest city. Its attractions include the National Waterfront Museum, Dylan Thomas Centre, Plantasia, the Mumbles, Oystermouth Castle and Swansea Bay itself.
* Newport is the third-largest city in Wales. An influx of visitors are expected in 2010 when the city hosts golf’s Ryder Cup, at the Celtic Manor Resort. Attractions include Tredegar House and Gardens, the Transporter Bridge, the ancient Roman fortress at Caerleon, St. Woolos Cathedral, the Westgate Hotel. The Big Pit National Coal Museum is located at Blaenavon, 15 miles to the north.
* St David’s in Pembrokeshire is the UK’s smallest city and resting place of St David and gateway to the Pembrokeshire coast and Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
* Bangor is between the mountains of Snowdonia and the Menai Strait and close to Anglesey. Bangor lies at the western end of the North Wales Path, a 60 mile long-distance coastal walking route, and is close to the Menai Suspension Bridge, one of the first modern suspension bridges in the world.

There are several features of the Welsh landscape that are popular with visitors:

* Mount Snowdon in Snowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales and a popular mountaineering destination.
* Pen y Fan is the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons in South Wales.
* Wye Valley AONB includes Tintern Abbey and Chepstow Castle.
* Offa’s Dyke Path is a long distance footpath on the English border in the historic Welsh Marches.
* Taff Trail is a foot and cycle path running along the River Taff through the city and countryside, from Cardiff Bay to Brecon.
* Glyndwr’s Way is a long-distance trail between Knighton and Welshpool in Powys.
* The Gower peninsula is the first area in the United Kingdom to be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in 1956. It is has a number of castles and sandy beaches, some easily accessible by car, some relatively remote.

Source: Wikipedia

New Zealand 2009 Public Holidays

New Year’s Day - Thursday 1 January
Day Following - Friday 2 January
Waitangi Day - Friday 6 February
Good Friday - Friday 10 April
Easter Monday - Monday 13 April
Anzac Day - Saturday 25 April
Queen’s Birthday - Monday 1 June
Labour Day - Monday 26 October
Christmas Day - Friday 25 December
Boxing Day - Monday 28 December

New Zealand 2009 Public Holidays

New Year’s Day - Friday 1 January
Day Following - Monday 4 January
Waitangi Day - Saturday 6 February
Good Friday - Friday 2 April
Easter Monday - Monday 5 April
Anzac Day - Sunday 25 April
Queen’s Birthday - Monday 7 June
Labour Day - Monday 25 October
Christmas Day - Monday 27 December
Boxing Day - Tuesday 28 December

Tourism in New Zealand is the country’s biggest ‘export’ earner with two million tourists visiting per year. New Zealand is marketed as a “clean, green” adventure playground, with typical destinations being nature areas such as Milford Sound and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, while activities such as bungee jumping or whale watching exemplify typical tourist attractions.

The vast majority of tourist arrivals in New Zealand come through Auckland Airport which handled over eleven million passengers in 2004. Popular destinations include Rotorua, Waitomo Caves, Milford Sound and Queenstown. Many tourists travel large distances through the country during their stays, typically using coach lines or hire cars.
The regions of New Zealand are: Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman, West Coast, Canterbury, Otago, Southland, Chatham Islands.

Source: Wikipedia.

New Zealand Public Holidays

United Kingdom Public Holidays

Sub Pages List

• NZ Public Holidays
• UK Public Holidays

NSW 2009 school holidays

Victorian 2009 school holidays

Queensland 2009 school holidays

Queensland 2010 school holidays

ACT 2009 school holidays

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

Western Australia

South Australia

Tasmania

Australian Capital Territory

Northern Territory.

Sub Pages List

• NSW Public Holidays
• VIC Public Holidays
• QLD Public Holidays
• WA Public Holidays
• SA Public Holidays
• TAS Public Holidays
• ACT Public Holidays
• NT Public Holidays

The ACT was conceived during the federation conventions of the late 1800s as neutral location for a new National Capital. The Australian Constitution provided that following Federation in 1901, land would be ceded to the new Federal Government. Construction of the capital, Canberra, began in 1913.

Source: Wikipedia

***Tasmania Limited Statewide

****Parts of Northern Tasmania only

Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name. It is located 240 kilometres (150 mi) south of the eastern side of the continent, being separated from it by Bass Strait. The state of Tasmania includes the island of Tasmania, and other surrounding islands. Tasmania has an estimated population of 493,300 as of June 2007 and an area of 68,401 square kilometres (26,410 sq mi).

Tasmania promotes itself as the Natural State and the “Island of Inspiration” owing to its large, and relatively unspoiled natural environment. Formally, almost 37% of Tasmania is in reserves, National Parks and World Heritage Sites. The island is 364 kilometres long from the northernmost point to the southernmost point, and 306 kilometres from west to east.

The state capital and largest city is Hobart, which encompasses the local government areas of City of Hobart, City of Glenorchy and City of Clarence. Other major population centres include Launceston in the north, and Devonport and Burnie in the northwest.

The subantarctic Macquarie Island is also under the administration of the state, as part of the Huon Valley Council local government area.

Source: Wikipedia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent and with a total land area of 983,482 square kilometres (379,725 sq mi), it is the fourth largest of Australia’s six states and two territories. With 1.5 million people, the state comprises less than 10 per cent of the Australian population and ranks fifth in population among the states and territories. The majority of its people reside in the state capital, Adelaide, with most of the remainder settled in fertile areas along the south-eastern coast and River Murray.

Source: Wikipedia

*****Non-metropolitan may celebrate on an alternative date

Western Australia is Australia’s largest state in area, covering the western third of the mainland. The population is only 2,105,800, making up 10% of Australia’s total population.

The people of Western Australia, West Australians or Western Australians, are often colloquially referred to as sandgropers because of the insect found on sand dunes around Perth.

Source: Wikipedia

****Brisbane metropolitan only

Tourism is Queensland’s leading industry, with millions of interstate and overseas visitors flocking to the Sunshine State each year. Queensland is a state of many contrasts that range from sunny tropical coastal areas, lush rainforests to dry inland areas.

The main tourist destinations of Queensland include –

• Gold Coast
• Sunshine Coast
• Hervey Bay/Fraser Island
• Brisbane
• Whitsundays (Airlie Beach, Whitehaven Beach, Hamilton Island, Daydream Island)
• Far North Queensland (Cairns, Port Douglas,The Daintree)
• North Queensland (Townsville, Magnetic Island)
• North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island
• The Great Barrier Reef

The Gold Coast of Queensland is also sometimes referred to as “Australia’s Theme Park Capital”, with five major amusement parks –

• Dreamworld
• Movie World
• Sea World
• Wet ‘n’ Wild
• WhiteWater World

There are also wildlife parks in Queensland - Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast and Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.

Source: Wikipedia

*Melbourne metropolitan only

Victoria is a state located in the south-eastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area, but the most densely populated and urbanised. White settlement in Victoria began in the 1830s as a farming community. The discovery of gold in 1851 transformed it into a leading industrial and commercial centre. Victoria has an estimated population of 5,205,200 as of June 2007. Melbourne is Victoria’s capital and largest city, with more than 70% of all Victorians living there.

Some major tourist destinations in Victoria are:

• The metropolis of Melbourne, particular its inner city suburbs (known also for shopping tourism) and the attractions of the city centre such as Crown Casino, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Museum, the Melbourne Aquarium, tourism precincts such as Melbourne Docklands, Southbank and St Kilda as well as cultural and sporting tourist icons such as The Arts Centre, National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, also known as the MCG, and the Eureka Tower, tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, with its Skydeck 88.
• The former Goldfields region featuring the historic cities of Ballarat, Beechworth, Bendigo, Castlemaine, Maldon and Daylesford.
• Natural attractions, such as The Twelve Apostles, Wilson’s Promontory, The Grampians, the Fairy Penguins (particularly at Phillip Island and St Kilda), the Buchan Caves and the Gippsland Lakes.
• The Dandenong Ranges (in particular the Puffing Billy Railway).
• Towns along the Murray river and Riverina including Echuca and Mildura including waterskiing.
• Geelong (particularly the city’s waterfront) and the Australian International Airshow
• The Bellarine Peninsula which features historic resort towns such as Queenscliff.
• The Surf Coast which features famous beaches such as Bells Beach, Torquay and Lorne
• Mornington Peninsula, particularly for its wineries and secluded beaches, Arthur’s Seat and the coastal attractions of Portsea and Sorrento.
• Yarra Valley (in particular Healesville Sanctuary and wineries).
• Great Ocean Road, which features The Twelve Apostles, historic towns of Port Fairy and Portland, cliffs and whale watching and resort towns such as Lorne.
• The Victorian Alpine Region, part of the Australian Alps, particularly for skiing
• The Central Victorian Highlands, ‘Highcountry’ are very well known for winter sports and bushwalking

Other popular tourism activities are gliding, hang-gliding, hot air ballooning and scuba diving.

Major events also plays a big part in tourism in Victoria, particularly cultural tourism and sports tourism. Most of these events are centred around Melbourne, but others occur in regional cities, such as the V8 Supercars and Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, the Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool and the Australian International Airshow at Geelong and numerous local festivals such as the popular Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Bells Beach SurfClassic and the Bright Autumn Festival.

Source: Wikipedia

New South Wales Public Holidays 2009

New Year’s Day 2009 - Thursday 1 January 2009
Australia Day 2009 - Monday 26 January 2009
Good Friday 2009 - Friday 10 April 2009
Easter Saturday 2009 - Saturday 11 April 2009
Easter Monday 2009 - Monday 13 April 2009
Anzac Day 2009 - Saturday 25 April 2009
Queen’s Birthday 2009 - Monday 8 June 2009
Bank Holiday* 2009 - Monday 3 August 2009
Labour Day 2009 - Monday 5 October 2009
Christmas Day 2009 - Friday 25 December 2009
Boxing Day 2009 - Saturday 26 December 2009

New South Wales Public Holidays 2010

New Year’s Day 2010 - Friday 1 January 2010
Australia Day 2010 - Tuesday 26 January 2010
Good Friday 2010 - Friday 2 April 2010
Easter Saturday 2010 - Saturday 3 April 2010
Easter Monday 2010 - Monday 5 April 2010
Anzac Day 2010 - Monday 26 April 2010
Queen’s Birthday 2010 - Monday 14 June 2010
Bank Holiday* 2010 - Monday 2 August 2010
Labour Day 2010 - Monday 4 October 2010
Christmas Day 2010 - Saturday 25 December 2010
Boxing Day 2010 - Monday 27 December 2010

*Sydney metropolitan area only, including Penrith, Camden and Campbelltown

New South Wales (abbreviated as N.S.W.) is Australia’s most populous state, located in the south-east of the country. An inhabitant of New South Wales is referred to as being New South Welsh, New South Walers or New South Welshman. New South Wales’ largest city and capital is Sydney. New South Wales’ three major cities are Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong which all lie along the coast. Other notable settlements include Albury, Broken Hill, the most westerly large town; Dubbo; Orange, Bowral, Bathurst, home of the Bathurst 1000; Port Macquarie, Tamworth, home to the country music festival; Armidale, Inverell, Lismore, Nowra, Gosford, Griffith, Queanbeyan, Leeton, Wagga Wagga, Goulburn, where a large proportion of the Australia’s fruit is grown and Coffs Harbour, a popular tourist destination. Source: Wikipedia

Welcome to holidaydates.com.au

Here you’ll find information for Public and School holidays in Australia for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Australian Public Holidays

New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory.

We’ll also be adding public holiday dates for other countries, so please contact us if you’d like to suggest a country we should add.