And many newcomers and international students might not be fimiliar with what’s open and closed on Christmas Day in Australia.
So in this article, we are going to have a quick look on that.
Here is what’s open and closed on Christmas Day in Australia
🛒 Major Supermarkets
Business: Coles, Woolworths, Aldi Trading Hours: Closed on Christmas Day, but open on Boxing Day (December 26).
🏪 Small and Independent Supermarkets
Business: IGA, Foodworks, Local Grocers Trading Hours: Some smaller and independent supermarkets open on Christmas Day.
🛍️ Department Stores
Business: Kmart, Target, Big W, Myer, David Jones Trading Hours: Closed on Christmas Day, but open on Boxing Day (December 26).
🍷 Bottle Shops, Liquor Stores
Business: Liquorland, BWS, Dan Murphys Trading Hours: Most stores remain closed except a few in Victoria and Tasmania.
☕ Coffee Chains
Business: Starbucks, Gloria Jean’s, The Coffee Club (TCC) Trading Hours: Most Starbucks will open on Christmas Day, but most Gloria Jean’s and TCC will be closed.
🍔 Fast Food Restaurants
Business: Hungry Jack’s, KFC, McDonald’s, Dominos Trading Hours: Most McDonald’s will stay open, while a few Hungry Jack’s, KFC, and Domino’s will be open.
🍽️ Major Chain Restaurants
Business: Nando’s, Grill’d, Schnitz Trading Hours: Most closed on Christmas Day.
🍴 Local Takeaway Shops & Restaurants
Business: Non-franchised local takeaway shops and restaurants Trading Hours: Check with local restaurants and cafés for opening hours.
⛽ Convenience Stores
Business: 7-Eleven, BP, Caltex, Shell Trading Hours: Most 7-Eleven stores stay open. Some locations are open 24 hours. Others you need to check with local stores.
💊 Pharmacies
Business: Chemist Warehouse, Priceline Trading Hours: Some pharmacies may open for a few hours for urgent needs.
🚆 Public Transport
Business: Trains, trams, buses, ferries Trading Hours: Most public transport runs on a holiday schedule (reduced service).
⛽ Petrol/Service Stations
Business: BP, Shell, Caltex, 7-Eleven Trading Hours: Many petrol stations are open, especially in city areas.
🏞️ Outdoor Attractions
Business: National Parks, Beaches, Hiking Trails Trading Hours: Most open on Christmas Day, but check for specific hours.
🏬 Shopping Centres
Business: Major shopping centres (e.g., Westfield) Trading Hours: Closed on Christmas Day, but open on Boxing Day (December 26).
🎥 Movie Theatres
Business: Hoyts, Event, Village Cinemas Trading Hours: Most open for Christmas Day screenings, but may have limited showtimes.
🏦 Banks Branches
Business: Commonwealth, ANZ, NAB, Westpac, Others Trading Hours: Closed on Christmas and Boxing Day.
🥐 Bakeries
Business: Breadtop, Ferguson Plarre, Bakers Delight Trading Hours: Some local bakeries may open for a limited time.
📚 Public Libraries
Business: Local public libraries around Australia Trading Hours: Closed on Christmas and Boxing Day.
🎓 Education Providers
Business: Universities, schools, TAFE, and other education providers Trading Hours: Closed on Christmas and Boxing Day. Most are closed from 24 December to 1 January.
🏥 Hospitals
Business: Public and private hospitals Trading Hours: Open 24 hours for emergencies on everyday of the year.
Apart from the above table, here are some other things that are open in each state and territory in Australia
We hope you find the information useful and we wish you a Merry Christmas. If you want a more comprehensive guide about Christmas in Australia, then check this article here.
It is that time of the year again when we feel the Christmas is just around the corner and yes it is indeed.
(Where did this year went!!) Ahem Ahem…
Since it is Christmas time and you are looking some fun events happening around your city in Australia, so we have sorted you with list of major Christmas events in Australia this year.
This article contains links from our affiliates, sponsors, and partners. If you use these products, we might get compensated – but there’s no additional cost to you.
Black Friday is just around the corner.
And many people, including students, look forward to picking up some bargains during this sale season.
So, let’s look at some of the epic Black Friday deals in Australia in 2024.
About Black Friday
For those people who don’t know, Black Friday is a day after Thanksgiving Day in the United States.
It is being considered as a starting of Christmas shopping season.
Many retailers around the world, including Australia, offer various promotional deals to entice customers for their Christmas shopping.
Black Friday in 2024
While Black Friday will fall on Friday, 29th November 2024 this year, many retailers have already launched their Black Friday deals.
Another important day in the shopping calendar is Cyber Monday, which happens on the following Monday after Black Friday.
This year Cyber Monday will be on 2nd December 2024.
Popular Retailers Black Friday Deals Launch Dates in Australia
Some of the popular retailers have launched the sale season already, that will run until the start of December.
But there are many retailers who will kick off their Black Friday sales later during the week.
Here is what we know so far on when the popular retailers launching their Black Friday deals in Australia:
Amazon Australia – From 19th November until 2nd December
eBay – From 22nd November
Kmart – Online preview from 22nd November Shop from 28th November
JB Hi-Fi – From 21st November until 2nd December
Officeworks – From 22nd November until 2nd December.
Myers – From 25th November until 2nd December
Bunnnings – From 28th November
Big W – From 21st November
Some Quick Handy Tips For Black Friday
Sign up for email newsletters for your favourite brands.
If available, sign up for free memberships (like Jb Hi-Fi Perks) for early access and exclusive deals.
Sign up for Cashback services like Top Cashback for getting additional cashback on purchases. Get $15 Sign up Bonus for TopCashback here.
Always check the original price of the item and compare it with multiple retailers online.
See if you need to pay additional shipping costs when buying online.
Use websites like camelcamelcamel.com to see the price history
Make a list of items you want to shop. You can categorise them into must haves, may haves and non-essentials.
Always be beware of the scams during the Black Friday sales
This article contains links from our affiliates, sponsors, and partners. If you use these products, we might get compensated – but there’s no additional cost to you.
11.11. Yes, it is 11th November and today is what we know now as a Singles’ Day.
Just like on Valentine’s Day we celebrate couples. On 11.11 Singles’ Day we celebrate Singles.
Cool, Right?
Ok, we will let you decide that.
But in this article, we are looking at the Top Singles’ Day Deals in Australia for Students.
What are the origins of Singles’ Day?
The origins of Singles’ Day date back to the 1990’s in China.
It was celebrated as a day of appreciation for single university students.
This date was chosen for obvious reasons as it suggests Four 1s (11.11) which symbolises being single.
But in 2009, China’s largest online retailer, Alibaba, saw a huge opportunity to turn this day into a massive shopping event.
Since then, it has become a global shopping event.
Is Singles’ Day a big deal?
You bet.
Singles’s Day is now the biggest shopping event on the global calendar.
Even surpassing both Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
Here are some more mind-boggling numbers to understand just how big this event has become:
In 2019, Alibaba set a new sales record of $38.4 billion sales in just 24 hours. (Source)
In 2020, during pandemic year, Alibaba reported $74 billion sales in 11 days sales period. (Source)
In 2021, Alibaba reported $84.54 billion sales with similar results in the following years of 2022 and 2023. (Source)
Do Australia celebrate Singles’ Day?
The popularity of Singles’ Day has been increasing over the years in Australia.
Lots of retailers now offer different deals during Singles’ Day sales event.
If you are looking for snag up some deals before the Black Friday and Cyber Monday, then this might be right time for that.
Best Singles’ Day Deals in Australia For Students in 2024
Before we look at the list of deals, here is our favourite Singles’ Day deal:
🔥 Adidas 40% off on already discounted outlet prices + 30% uncapped cashback from Topcashback.
So to get this deal, you need to have an account with TopCashback.
If you already have one, then you can sign in and search for Adidas. Make sure to read all the terms and conditions and exclusions before purchases. Click through to the adidas website from TopCashback website and shop as usual.
You can usually track your cashback usually within 7 days of purchase. If not tracked, you can reach out to the Topcashback team for that.
Here are some of the handpicked deals for students from different retailers in Australia
💻 Electronics
Big W: $11 off Pick Up orders when you spend $111 or more using code: PICKUP11
Mobileciti: Extra 11% off sitewide using code: FSN11
Some of really good offers from Mobileciit include:
TopCashback: Extra 30% cashback on Adidas, Extra 25% cashback on Priceline Pharmacy (capped at $20), Extra 15% cashback on Bonds, Extra 45% discount on Temu
Too late for Singles’ Day deals? No stress, we are going to cover Black Friday deals for students as well. Follow along on our Instagram page for quick updates.
Ever heard of “Discount Grocery Stores”? (aka Grocery Clearance Stores or Grocery Clearance Warehouses)
They have become increasingly popular over the last few years due to increased cost of living.
So What is a Discount Grocery Store?
As the name suggests, these Discount Grocery Stores sell everyday grocery items at a way cheaper price than the supermarket giants like Coles, Woolworths, and even Aldi.
For example, in our recent visit to one of these discount grocery stores, we noticed the price of some of the grocery items as below.
So what’s the catch?
The only catch is that most of the items sold are either discontinued, overstocked or close to use by date (expiry date) or best before date.
So you will need to check the expiry date or best before date before buying the items in these stores.
Are they allowed to sell these products?
We had this question in mind as well. So we went and did some research on the Australian Government’s Food Standards website.
And here is what we found:
There are 2 types of date labelling on food in Australia. These are:
Use by date products: These are the products that must be consumed before a certain date for health and safety reasons and can’t be sold after this date in Australia.
Best before date products: These are the products that can be consumed after the best before dates but might lose some quality. These products can be sold after the best before date in Australia as long as they are fit for human consumption.
While some of these discount grocery stores also offer cheaper fresh food items like fruits, vegetables and meats, many of them don’t.
So for fresh food items, we suggest you head to local fruit and vegetable markets in your state or territory at the end of the day to get cheaper deals for them.
You can also check Farmer’s Pick for saving money on your everyday fruits and vegetables needs.
If you know any more of these discount grocery stores in Australia, then leave a name of them in the comment section below.
Save this blog post as we are going to regularly update with new clearance stores. Also, share it with a friend who is looking for cheaper grocery alternatives in Australia.
As a newcomer to Australia, you might be wondering if Halloween is celebrated in Australia or not?
Especially if you are coming from one of those countries where it is a huge tradition.
Well, in this article, we are giving you a quick guide to Halloween in Australia.
Are you excited? We are indeed.
Let’s go!
What are the Origins of Halloween?
Now a day, trick or treat, costumes, pumpkins come to mind when thinking about Halloween. But it wasn’t always like this.
Halloween traditions date back more than 2000 years.
It is said to be celebrated as the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of harvest season and start of winters.
Celts (who lived in the UK, Ireland and northern France) marked 31st October as the day for the return of spirits to the living world.
So they wore costumes, masks, lit bonfires to keep these spirits away.
Later on, with the spread of Chirstinaty, it was incorporated into All Saint’s Day (celebrated on 1st November).
All Saints’ Day is also known as All Hallow’s Day.
So a night before All Hallow’s Day became All Hallow’s Eve, which was shortened to what we know today “Halloween”.
The tradition of this festival was brought into the United States during the 19th century by the Irish and Scottish communities.
Nowadays, Halloween is a fun-filled holiday for kids and teenagers in North America with varying celebrations.
Do Australians Celebrate Halloween?
A very good question to begin the things with!
The answer is “it depends”.
While you will find some neighbourhoods putting quite an effort to get their houses ready for Halloween, it is not as widely celebrated as it is in the United States.
There will be many suburbs or neighbourhoods around the country where you will see little to no Halloween Celebrations.
Although, it is hard to deny that Halloween has become increasingly popular in Australia over the last few years.
When is Halloween Celebrated in Australia?
Halloween is celebrated on 31st October each year worldwide.
In 2024, it is celebrated on Thursday 31st October 2024.
Please note that there is no public holiday for Halloween in Australia. All the offices, businesses and schools run as per usual timings.
What are Some of the Popular Halloween Traditions in Australia?
Here are some of the popular Halloween traditions you will come across in Australia as well:
Trick or Treating – It is a tradition of visiting neighbourhood, usually by kids and teenagers, to ask for candies or lollies. People in Australia offer varies types of treats including sweet candies, cakes, chocolates, etc.
Costumes – Usually kids, teenagers and even adults get dressed up with different spooky costumes like vampires, ghosts, clowns, witches, draculas, superheroes, zombies, etc.
Pumpkins – You will find carved pumpkins as a part of Halloween Traditions. In the past, it was used to keep the spirits away, but nowadays it is for decoration purposes. You can pick up these pumpkins from any major supermarket in Australia.
Parties – Many people will have a bonfire and Bbq during the evening in their backyards and may invite some people over to their house for a Halloween party as well. Many event organisers, nightclubs, pubs, hotels, also do Halloween themed parties during the evening and late nights.
Where to Buy Halloween Essentials in Australia?
If you are looking to get into the Halloween spirit (no puns intended) and want to celebrate it with your friends in Australia, then you can check the following retailers for that:
Halloween Costumes and Decorations
You can get various types of Halloween costumes from popular online and shopfront retailers like:
Popular retailers to buy Halloween candies and sweets in Australia include:
Coles
Woolworths
Aldi
Big W
Kmart
Costco
Sweet As
Local bakeries and confectionery stores
Fun Activities to do on Halloween as an Adult in Australia
While you might be ready to be going out for trick or treating, here are some fantastic ideas on spend your Halloween day with friends:
Halloween Movie Marathon – Yes, it is a thing. You can binge-watch Halloween classics like Hocus Pocus, Beetlejuice, Scream, The Ghostbusters, The Addams Family. You can also do a horror movie marathon like The Conjuring, Poltergeist, Candyman, etc.
Halloween Themed Costume Party – If you are one of those party animals, then you might consider throwing a Halloween themed costume party at your place. Invite your uni friends with a special note of wearing scary or creative costumes and have fun together.
Go for a Ghost Tour – Want to do something really spooky? Why not book a ghost tour then? There are many providers of these tours around Australia and you can visit places like cemetery, haunted houses and cities with these tours.
Escape Room Challenge – Get together with a few friends and go for an escape room challenge with them. Many Escape Room Challenge providers usually have horror themed escape rooms to have fun with your friends.
Halloween Karaoke Night – Another fun activity to do with a group of your friends on a Halloween night. Dress up in scary costumes to double up the fun while singing your heart out.
You can check for local Halloween events happening around your city on platforms like Meetup, Eventbrite and All Events.
We hope you this guide to Halloween in Australia helped you and wishing you all a Spooky Halloween.
