Royal Hobart Regatta 2027

Royal Hobart Regatta Day is a regional public holiday in southern Tasmania, including Hobart, under the Statutory Holidays Act 2000. It does not apply in the north, the north-west or on the West Coast, which observe Recreation Day in November instead. The holiday is held on the second Monday in February and gives the south a long weekend. In 2027 it falls on Monday 8 February.

Shops, schools and work

Regatta Day is a public holiday only in the defined southern area of Tasmania. Within that area, banks and government offices are closed, and public transport typically runs to a reduced or holiday timetable. Many shops, cafes and hospitality venues stay open, often with shorter hours. In Launceston, the north-west and the West Coast, services operate as on a normal Monday. There is no substitute day, because the date is always a Monday. The working days calculator and the Tasmania page on this site show how the holiday affects February in each area.

History

The Royal Hobart Regatta was first held in 1838 on the River Derwent, with the support of Lieutenant-Governor Sir John Franklin. The first event marked the anniversary of Abel Tasman's sighting of the island in 1642. Rowing and sailing races formed the core of the programme from the start, and the regatta quickly became a fixture of Hobart's calendar. It is regarded as one of the oldest sporting events in Australia.

The holiday is set by Tasmania's Statutory Holidays Act 2000 and applies only in a defined area. That area covers the state south of and including Oatlands and Swansea, but excludes Bronte Park, Catagunya, Strathgordon, Tarraleah, Wayatinah and the West Coast. Places outside the area observe Recreation Day on the first Monday in November. Under this arrangement, each part of Tasmania has one of the two days rather than both.

How Australians spend the day

The regatta runs over several days and usually ends on the Monday holiday. Racing takes place on the River Derwent, with sailing, rowing and other water events for club, school and open competitors. The shore base is the Regatta Grounds on the Queens Domain, near the Hobart Cenotaph, where spectators watch from the riverbank. The Royal Hobart Regatta Association organises the programme, which typically includes food stalls, displays and family entertainment alongside the races. For many people in the south, the day is simply the end of a summer long weekend.

Facts

• Royal Hobart Regatta Day is a public holiday under the Statutory Holidays Act 2000 (Tas), but only within a defined area of southern Tasmania.
• The holiday area covers the state south of and including Oatlands and Swansea, and excludes Bronte Park, Catagunya, Strathgordon, Tarraleah, Wayatinah and the West Coast.
• The date rule is the second Monday in February, so the holiday always falls on a Monday and creates a long weekend in the south.
• Launceston, the north-west and the West Coast observe Recreation Day on the first Monday in November instead of Regatta Day.