What Time Is the Melbourne Cup? Start Times by State & How to Watch

Jul 28, 2026

The Melbourne Cup jumps at approximately 3:00pm AEDT on Tuesday 3 November 2026 — but the local start time differs in almost every state. Here are the times state by state, how to watch or stream it free, whether it's a public holiday where you are, and when to actually place your bet.

What time is the Melbourne Cup? The Cup jumps at approximately 3:00pm AEDT on Tuesday 3 November 2026 as Race 7 on the Flemington card. Because daylight saving is in effect in the eastern states but not in Queensland or Western Australia, the local start time is different almost everywhere in the country — below are the times state by state, how to watch or stream it, and whether it is a public holiday where you are.

⏱ Melbourne Cup 2026: Tuesday 3 November, approx 3:00pm AEDT (12:00pm in Perth). Free-to-air on Nine and streaming on 9Now.

Melbourne Cup start time by state

The Cup is always run on the first Tuesday in November. Treat these as a guide and be ready a few minutes early — the exact jump time moves slightly depending on how the earlier races run.

State / territory	Local start time
VIC / NSW / ACT / TAS	3:00pm AEDT
Queensland	2:00pm AEST
South Australia	2:30pm ACDT
Northern Territory	1:30pm ACST
Western Australia	12:00pm AWST

Perth punters get the earliest jump of anyone at midday, while Queensland sits an hour behind the eastern states because it does not observe daylight saving.

How to watch the Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is broadcast free-to-air on Network Nine and streamed live on 9Now, so you do not need a subscription to watch it. Dedicated racing coverage runs all day on Sky Racing and Racing.com.

Most licensed Australian bookmakers also stream the race in-app to funded accounts, which is usually the fastest vision and the easiest way to watch on a phone. Replays go up on 9Now and Racing.com shortly after the race, and I post the finishing order on my Melbourne Cup results page within minutes of the finish.

Is Melbourne Cup Day a public holiday?

Melbourne Cup Day is a full public holiday across Victoria, held on the first Tuesday of November — Tuesday 3 November in 2026. Elsewhere it is not a national holiday, though some regions observe a part-day or local holiday, and plenty of workplaces mark it regardless.

If you are outside Victoria it is a normal working day, which is worth knowing if you are planning to watch: in Perth the race jumps at midday, right in the middle of a working lunch break.

When should you place your Melbourne Cup bet?

There is a genuine timing question here, not just a broadcast one. Cup markets are open months out, but the two moments that matter are the final field and barrier draw — confirmed after the last race on Derby Day, Saturday 31 October 2026 — and race-morning scratchings.

Backing early gets you a bigger price on a horse that may not even start; waiting until the field is declared costs you value but removes the risk. My usual approach is to take early prices only on ballot-exempt runners that are certain to line up, and leave everything else until the draw. See my Melbourne Cup field and order of entry guide for when each stage lands, and my Melbourne Cup tips for who I actually like.

Melbourne Cup Carnival: the other big days

Cup Day is the centrepiece of a four-day carnival at Flemington. Victoria Derby Day is the Saturday before — the day the Cup field is finalised — followed by Cup Day on the Tuesday, Oaks Day on the Thursday and Stakes Day on the Saturday. Full details are on the Melbourne Cup Carnival hub.

Melbourne Cup time FAQs

What time is the Melbourne Cup 2026?

Approximately 3:00pm AEDT on Tuesday 3 November 2026, as Race 7 on the Flemington card. That is 2:00pm in Queensland, 2:30pm in South Australia, 1:30pm in the Northern Territory and 12:00pm in Western Australia.

What day is the Melbourne Cup?

Always the first Tuesday in November. In 2026 that is Tuesday 3 November.

How can I watch the Melbourne Cup for free?

It is broadcast free-to-air on Network Nine and streamed free on 9Now. Most licensed Australian bookmakers also stream it in-app to funded accounts.

Is Melbourne Cup Day a public holiday in my state?

It is a full public holiday in Victoria only. Some other regions observe a part-day or local holiday, but for most of Australia it is a normal working day.

How long does the Melbourne Cup take to run?

The Cup is run over 3200m and takes a little over three minutes. Placings are usually confirmed within a minute of the finish unless there is a photo finish or a protest.