King's Birthday (WA)

The King's Birthday in Western Australia is a state public holiday officially honouring the reigning monarch, King Charles III. Unlike most other Australian states and territories that observe the holiday in June, Western Australia celebrates it in late September or early October.

The tradition of celebrating the reigning monarch's birthday in Australia dates back to 1788 with the arrival of the First Fleet, when King George III's birthday was observed. While the occasion was originally held on the sovereign's actual birth date, it was moved to a standardized official date in June following the death of King George V in 1936.

Western Australia chose to diverge from the national June schedule to avoid having two public holidays in the same month, as Western Australia Day (formerly Foundation Day) falls on the first Monday in June. Instead, the WA Governor proclaims the date each year, usually placing it at the end of September to coincide with the Perth Royal Show and spring school holidays. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, the holiday was officially renamed from the Queen's Birthday to the King's Birthday.

For many Western Australians, the King's Birthday long weekend provides a popular spring break for camping, regional road trips, and outdoor recreation. A major highlight of the long weekend is the Perth Royal Show, a prominent agricultural event and fair held at the Claremont Showground. In some regional areas, such as the City of Karratha and the Town of Port Hedland, local authorities hold the public holiday on an alternative date in August to align with local celebrations like the FeNaCING Festival or regional racing carnivals.