The Memorial Day holiday is observed on the second Monday of May to honour those who have died in service of their country. The majority of workplaces and business premises close on the day of the national holiday in Australia, with many businesses choosing to be closed on Monday May 4th in order to honour the fallen heroes.
Is the Speedway Corporation open on Memorial Day? Will your workplace be open or closed? Is there any public transport available to take you to and from work? Check the local conditions before making important plans, as things may be different this year due to the pandemic.
The Basics
The Memorial Day holiday was officially gazetted in 1916, and is one of the few public holidays that occurs every year regardless of the timing of Easter and Christmas. The national holiday was established in accordance with the recommendations of the Cook Committee, which was established in response to the Gallipoli campaign during the First World War. The committee consisted of Sydney businessmen and professionals, and was tasked with looking into ways to raise money and awareness for the newly established Australian Patriotic Society, which was formed in response to the increasing number of deaths in the nation’s military during the early years of the 20th century.
Due to the nature of the holiday (i.e. it closes businesses down), many consider it to be a semi-public holiday, which is one reason why the majority of businesses will be closed. However, because the public sector, government institutions and some private businesses are allowed to operate, the actual number of people who will be working on Memorial Day could be higher than usual.
When Is The Last Day Of Racing?
Thanks to the lockdown and the cancellation of major sporting events, we now know that the last day of racing at Australia’s most famous track, the Sydney Motorsport Park, will be on April 19th. The day before, on April 18th, will be one of the last days of live racing in Australia until the end of the year when the Melbourne Cup is re-run. That means the last day of racing at the Melbourne Cup this year will be January 2nd, 2021.
The last day of racing at the Sydney Motorsport Park will mark the end of an era. Since its opening in 2010, the track has developed a cult following and attracted a number of famous drivers and teams. It has also played an important role in the careers of many who have gone on to become professional drivers, including Shane van Gisbergen, who claimed a stage win and an important placing at the 2016 24 Hours of Nürburgring in Germany. The teams and drivers that have taken part in the 24 hour race include Porsche, Audi, Ferrari, and Jaguar, in addition to the usual array of international and local vehicles. With the end of the season coming up, it’s time for all of the fans to say their goodbyes and for the teams to head off for the summer break.
What About Transport?
It’s a common question considering the holiday nature of the day, but what about public transport? Will the Sydney Metro be running on Memorial Day? Will there be any restrictions on who can travel where and when? Stay tuned to this space for updates.
We would like to thank our contributors for sharing their opinions and insights with us. Is there something that you would like to add? Do you have a topic that you would like to see covered in one of our next articles? Let us know, and we’ll take into consideration your suggestion.