As far as I could tell Easter Holidays started on Thursday 24 March one day early as the roads, pubs and bars were empty on pre Easter Thursday!
It seems to be that everyone is anxious for holidays and cannot wait to get out of town a day early, to get an extra days break or maybe just an extra day away from work. Also it is perhaps to get ahead of the travel crowd and miss the traffic getting out of town.
I sense people are working more intensely with their mobile devices making escape from work more difficult and therefore these long weekends are cherished.
One way or another I loved pre Easter Thursday as the traffic and intensity of Sydney was down enough to make the city feel more liveable and peaceful.