How to Make the Most of Your Annual Leave in 2026

What if there was a way to take more holidays without worrying about running out of annual leave? There is!

We’ll show you how to make the most of the Australian public holidays in 2026 so you can get away on some must-do adventures. Whether it’s a relaxing long weekend or the chance to head overseas for a couple of weeks, get these dates in the diary and enjoy our tips for maximising your annual leave.

Australian public holidays 2026

As much as we all love a day off work, unless you’re a super-organised person you might find that public holidays have a habit of taking you by surprise. Rather than enjoying this bonus holiday you’re left regretting your lack of foresight and planning – if only you’d spotted that Easter and Anzac Day were so close together, you could have booked the days off in between and really had a chance to unwind! Let's make 2026 your year for holidays; here are the dates you need to know.

2026 National Public Holidays

• New Year’s Day – Thursday, 1 January
• Australia Day – Monday, 26 January
• Good Friday – Friday, 3 April
• Easter Monday – Monday, 6 April
• Anzac Day – Saturday, 25 April (with substitute holiday on Monday, 27 April in some states)
• King’s Birthday – Monday, 8 June (except QLD and WA)
• Labour Day – Monday, 5 October (ACT, NSW, SA)
• Christmas Day – Friday, 25 December
• Boxing Day – Saturday, 26 December (substitute holiday Monday, 28 December in most states)
  

Our top tips for taking time off

Aside from getting in ahead of your workmates to secure your time off and booking early to find the best travel and accommodation deals, here’s what we recommend:

Book an Easter getaway

April is looking like the best month to take a holiday in 2026 with Easter and Anzac Day landing close together. With public holidays on Good Friday (3 April), Easter Monday (6 April) and Anzac Day (25 April), you could make a 16-day holiday by taking eight days of annual leave from 7–10 April and 13–17 April.

School holidays include the Easter weekend in most states, so this could be the perfect time for a family holiday. If you’re in NSW, WA or SA, Anzac Day also falls within the autumn school holidays.  

 

Make the most of the October long weekend

If you live in ACT, NSW or SA, Labour Day falls on Monday 5 October in 2026. By taking annual leave from Tuesday 6 to Friday 9 October, you get nine days off from Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 October. This can be a good time for a spring road trip, a city break, or a quick hop across the Tasman.

 

Enjoy a mid-year break

Just when you’re feeling like it’s a long time until the next holiday break, King’s Birthday pops up on 8 June to save you. It’s a Monday so you could just enjoy a long weekend or, better still, book Tuesday 9 – Friday 12 off work and you’ve found yourself a neat nine-day window for a holiday.

If you’re in ACT, NSW or SA, you can do the same again in October with Labour Day on Monday 5. Four days of annual leave from Tuesday 6 to Friday 9 magically turns into nine days for some well-earned R&R.     

Stacking public holidays with your annual leave

• Look for public holidays that fall on a Monday or Friday
• Add four days of annual leave on the working days around them
• Count the two weekends plus the public holiday

Each time you do this you get nine days off in a row for only four days of leave. Combine that with the Easter and Christmas periods and many full-time workers can turn 20 days of annual leave into 45 days or more away from work across the year.

 

Where to go for longer holidays

With a couple of weeks up your sleeve, an overseas holiday could certainly be on the cards.

Our pick for the long Easter break:

A family trip to Thailand. April is still the dry season there, with temperatures around 25°C–30°C – ideal for a beach holiday but not too hot for exploring ancient ruins or the city sights in Bangkok.

Other favourite destinations for longer trips include:

• Singapore – shopping, eating, and futuristic nature parks.
• Japan – how about a ski holiday during the long Christmas break?
• New Zealand –plan that great Kiwi road trip you’ve been dreaming of

 

Where to go for short breaks

Even if you only have a few days off, there are plenty of fun and exciting options for holidays.

Ideas for short breaks:

• Fiji – white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters.
• Vanuatu – just a short flight from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.     

State public holidays in 2026

On top of the national public holidays, each state and territory has its own extra days off. These can turn a standard long weekend into a 9 day break with only 4 days of annual leave, or help you squeeze in extra mini trips across the year. Always double-check your local government site, as regional show days and part-day holidays can vary.

 

New South Wales (NSW)

Alongside the national days, NSW workers also get:

• Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday on 4 and 5 April
• August Bank Holiday for many banks on Monday 3 August
• Labour Day on Monday 5 October (perfect for an October long weekend)
  

Victoria (VIC)

Victoria is one of the easiest states for maximising annual leave, thanks to extra public holidays such as: 

• Labour Day on Monday 9 March
• Friday before the AFL Grand Final on Friday 25 September (public holiday across VIC)
• Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday 3 November
• Boxing Day observed on Monday 28 December

Queensland (QLD)

Queenslanders can build extra breaks around: 

• Labour Day on Monday 4 May
• Royal Queensland Show Day (Ekka) on Wednesday 12 August in Brisbane only
• King’s Birthday on Monday 5 October
• Part-day public holiday on Christmas Eve from 6 pm to midnight

Western Australia (WA)

WA runs on its own holiday pattern, including: 

• Labour Day on Monday 2 March
• Western Australia Day on Monday 1 June
• King’s Birthday on Monday 28 September
• Extra holidays when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, with Monday 28 December as an additional day off

South Australia (SA)

South Australians can plan around these extra days:

• Adelaide Cup Day on Monday 9 March
• Labour Day on Monday 5 October
• Proclamation Day observed on Monday 28 December when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday

Tasmania (TAS)

Tasmania has several state-wide holidays plus extra regional days. Key dates include:

• Eight Hours Day on Monday 9 March
• Easter Tuesday on Tuesday 7 April (mainly for the public service and some sectors)
• King’s Birthday on Monday 8 June
• Additional public holiday on Monday 28 December because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

In Canberra, 2026 includes: 

• Canberra Day on Monday 9 March
• Reconciliation Day observed on Monday 1 June
• King’s Birthday on Monday 8 June
• Labour Day on Monday 5 October
• Extra public holiday on Monday 28 December when Boxing Day lands on Saturday
  

Northern Territory (NT)

NT residents get several extra chances to stretch their leave: 

• May Day (Labour Day) on Monday 4 May
• King’s Birthday on Monday 8 June
  
• Picnic Day on Monday 3 August
  
• Regional show days across July in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin
  
• Part-day Christmas Eve holiday from 7 pm to midnight, plus an extra Boxing Day holiday on Monday 28 December
  
  

 

Quick state-based leave ideas for 2026

Here are a few examples of how those state holidays can turn small chunks of leave into bigger breaks:

• VIC: Take four days off from Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 March around Labour Day on Monday 9 March and enjoy nine days off from Saturday 7 to Sunday 15 March.
• VIC: Book Monday 21 to Thursday 24 September as annual leave and combine it with the Friday before the AFL Grand Final on 25 September for a nine day break from Saturday 19 to Sunday 27 September.
• VIC: Around Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday 3 November, take Monday 2 and Wednesday 4 to Friday 6 as annual leave and enjoy nine days off from Saturday 31 October to Sunday 8 November.
• QLD: Use Labour Day on Monday 4 May. Take Tuesday 5 to Friday 8 off and enjoy nine days off from Saturday 2 to Sunday 10 May.
• WA: Use Labour Day on Monday 2 March or WA Day on Monday 1 June in the same way. Four days of leave either side of the Monday can turn into nine consecutive days off.
• SA: Around Adelaide Cup Day on Monday 9 March, booking four days of leave from Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 gives you nine days away from Saturday 7 to Sunday 15 March.

 

Don’t forget your Travel Insurance

Even the best-laid plans can go wrong. Accidents happen, people fall sick, and travel plans change. Consider domestic travel insurance for local trips and comprehensive policy for international trips.     

 

Frequently asked questions about maximising annual leave in 2026

How many days of annual leave do full-time workers usually get in Australia?

Most full-time employees covered by the National Employment Standards receive 4 weeks of paid annual leave per year, while many shift workers receive 5 weeks. Your award or enterprise agreement can provide more generous entitlements, so always check your own contract. 

 

Do public holidays reduce my annual leave balance?

No. If a public holiday falls during a period of paid annual leave, that day is treated as a public holiday, not a day of annual leave. You are paid for the public holiday, and your annual leave balance is not reduced for that day. This rule also applies to part-day public holidays like Christmas Eve in some states. 

 

Can my employer refuse my annual leave request around public holidays?

Yes, but only on reasonable business grounds. Employers can decline leave requests if too many staff are away, if your absence would seriously impact operations, or if your request clashes with a known busy period. Putting leave requests in early, especially around Easter, school holidays and Christmas, gives you a better chance of approval. 

 

What is the best way to maximise annual leave in 2026?

Plan early, focus on April, June and October, and use the nine-days-for-four trick wherever your state has a Monday public holiday. Layer school holidays, sporting events or festivals on top of those dates if you have children or want to travel when there is more going on. A simple calendar with your state holidays marked is often the best planning tool. 

 

How do part-day public holidays affect my leave plans?

Part-day public holidays, such as Christmas Eve in QLD, SA and the NT, only apply for certain evening hours. They can affect penalty rates and public holiday entitlements if you work those hours, but they do not create an extra full day off to build a long break. For maximising leave, treat them as a bonus for pay rather than extra time away. 

 

Do all states get a substitute day when Anzac Day or Boxing Day falls on a weekend?

No. Some states provide a substitute public holiday on the following Monday when days such as Anzac Day, Christmas Day or Boxing Day fall on a weekend, while others do not. In 2026, most states provide an extra holiday on Monday 28 December because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, but the treatment of Anzac Day varies by state. This is another reason to check your state’s official calendar before locking in leave.