General Information » Facts & Figures » Social & Business Hours

The working week runs from Monday to Friday. In Sydney, most businesses close over the weekend but many shops remain open on Saturday and with restricted hours on Sunday. Thursday is traditionally ‘late night shopping’. Most people work a 36.4 hour week in New South Wales. However, it is not unusual for bright, aspiring corporate types to work long hours and weekends. As a trend across the country, more people are working longer hours without extra pay.

Australians prize their free time. The long weekend is an Australian institution and when any public holiday falls on a Friday or a Monday, the country goes into relaxation mode. State holidays are often set on a Monday. Grocery chains and some of the bigger department stores may open on certain public holidays for a few hours, but pretty much everything closes down on Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday and New Year’s Day. Government departments generally follow hours similar to the business sector but it is a good idea to check before visiting.