Have your say on Melbourne Cup Day public holiday arrangements

Published on 28 November 2022

Residents are encouraged to help determine Gannawarra Shire Council’s future public holiday arrangements.

Community feedback is sought regarding interest in changing the Melbourne Cup Day public holiday for businesses within the Gannawarra Shire for 2023 to the day of the Kerang and District Agricultural Society Show, which is scheduled to occur on Monday, 9 October 2023.

“Council has received a request from the Kerang and District Agricultural Society to consider changing the current arrangements, which sees the Gannawarra Shire observe the Melbourne Cup Day public holiday to arrangements which provide a public holiday for the Kerang Show,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said.

“Community engagement regarding public holiday arrangements last occurred in 2015/16, which has led to Gannawarra Shire maintaining a public holiday on Melbourne Cup day each year since.”

As per the Public Holidays Act 1993, Council will be seeking feedback on the following options:

A full-day public holiday on Melbourne Cup Day across the municipality;
A full-day public holiday on Kerang Show Day across the municipality;
A full-day public holiday on Kerang Show Day within the Kerang area, and a full-day public holiday on Melbourne Cup Day for the remainder of the municipality;
A half-day public holiday for the Kerang Show Day and Melbourne Cup Day; and
Other alternative options.

“This will be the largest community engagement process Council has undertaken regarding our public holiday structure since 2015/16, so my fellow Councillors and I encourage all residents to have their say,” Mayor Gillingham said.

Residents can have their say by completing a survey online at www.gsc.vic.gov.au/holiday, with copies of the survey also available for completion at Council’s Customer Service Centres at Cohuna and Kerang. Responses will be accepted up to 2pm Friday, 23 December 2022.

“All feedback received will assist Council with determining future public holiday arrangements, with a proposal to be presented to Council for consideration by April 2023,” Mayor Gillingham said.