Melbourne Cup Day has never been a public holiday outside of Victoria, but it didn’t stop regional towns, such as Corowa, from treating it as such, with the town traditionally holding race meets on the first Tuesday in November for 58 years.

That was until 2017 when the decision by racing officials in 2009 and 2010 to grant Albury and Wodonga Cup Day meetings slashed local crowds in half, with racegoers opting for the bigger tracks.

Corowa opted to move the traditional meeting to Cup Eve from 2018 to try to bring crowds back, but the contentious question remains, whether to make Melbourne Cup Day a public holiday outside Victoria.

Corowa Race Club president Ian Bilney said Cup Day in Corowa was huge, with 6,000 people regularly turning up before the equine flu outbreak of 2007 and the Albury and Wodonga Cup Day meets.

“It's one of the biggest things in racing in Australia, but I don't think we need a holiday for it,” Mr Bilney said.

“When we had races on the Tuesday a few years back, most of the town closed after lunch to go to the races.

“After the horse flu breakout and Albury and Wodonga were added, there was too much racing on Melbourne Cup Day and crowds went to other venues; they didn't come back after that.”

The power to declare a public holiday lies with state governments.

“You have to think about the businesses in town,” Mr Bilney said.

“Should they have to pay for people having a half-day or full-day holiday?

“I don't think people in Corowa can afford that.”

Club Corowa CEO Peter Norris said he would rather support a public holiday for a local event than one from another state.

“We definitely have elevated patronage on Melbourne Cup Day,” Mr Norris said.

“There are more people around and we try to get behind it, but if we're going to pay public holiday rates, I’d prefer a local event.

“Despite the economic impact (to us), it gives our staff an opportunity to earn more money for their day.

“I understand, however, that owner-operated businesses might struggle more.”

Should the Melbourne Cup be a national holiday?

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Tuesday, 11th January 2028

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