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Turn 20 days off into 53 with this simple annual leave trick

Planning holidays in advance can help Australians transform the typical 20-day annual leave entitlement into more than 50 days off in 2026.

By carefully choosing dates around Christmas and New Year, Australia Day, Easter, the King's Birthday, and Labour Day (or equivalent state/territory holiday), Aussie workers who typically work Monday to Friday can clock up 53 days off.

And that's before you factor in specific regional public holidays.

Here are all the public holidays for 2026, plus tips to make the most of your annual leave next year.

Australia's public holidays by state and territory for 2026

January

Book four days of leave from January 27 to 30 and get nine days off between Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, February 1 (all states and territories).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Thursday, January 1: New Year's Day
  • Monday, January 26: Australia Day

February

Book four days of leave from February 10 to 13 for nine days off between Saturday, February 7 and Sunday February 15 (parts of Tasmania only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, February 9: Royal Hobart Regatta (parts of Tasmania)

March

Book four days of leave from March 3 to 6 for nine days off between Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, February 8 (WA only).

Book four days of leave from March 10 to 13 for nine days off between Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 15 (ACT, SA, Tasmania and Victoria only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, March 2: Labour Day (WA)
  • Monday, March 9: Canberra Day (ACT), Adelaide Cup Day (SA), Eight Hours Day (Tasmania), Labour Day (Victoria)

Horizontal Seascape of people enjoying the summer sun on busy tourist beach holiday with sand turquoise waves blue sky at famous surf ocean Byron Bay Australia

April

Book eight days of leave from March 30 to April 2 and from April 7 to 10 for 16 days off between Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, April 12 (all states and territories).

Book another four days of leave from April 28 to May 1 for nine days off between Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, May 3 (WA only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Friday, April 3: Good Friday
  • Saturday, April 4: Easter Saturday
  • Sunday, April 5: Easter Sunday
  • Monday, April 6: Easter Monday
  • Saturday, April 25: ANZAC Day
  • Monday, April 27: ANZAC Day day in lieu (WA)

May

Book four days of leave from May 5 to 8 for nine days off between Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 10 (NT and Queensland only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, May 4: May Day (NT, Queensland)

June

Book four days of leave from June 2 to June 5 for nine days off between Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, June 7 (ACT and WA only).

Book four days of leave from June 9 to June 12 for nine days off between Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 14 (ACT, NSW, NT, SA, Tasmania and Victoria).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, June 1: Reconciliation Day (ACT), Western Australia Day (WA)
  • Monday, June 8: King's Birthday (ACT, NSW, NT, SA, Tasmania, Victoria)

This lookout is a short walk from the main Hazards car park and a popular viewpoint.

July

There are no public holidays in July.

August

Book four days of leave from August 4 to 7 for nine days off between Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 9 (NT only).

Book four days of leave from August 10 to 11 and 13 to 14 for nine days off between Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 16 (Brisbane area of Queensland only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, August 3: Picnic Day (NT)
  • Wednesday, August 12: Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only)

September

Book four days of leave from September 29 to October 2 for nine days off between Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, October 4 (WA only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, September 28: King's Birthday (WA)

October

Book four days of leave from October 6 to 9 for nine days off between Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 11 (ACT, NSW, SA and Queensland only).

Book four days of leave from October 23 to 26 for nine days off between Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 28 (Tasmania only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, October 5: Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA), King's Birthday (Queensland)
  • Thursday, October 22: Royal Hobart Show (parts of Tasmania)

Aerial view of the stunning Gold Coast skyline on a sunny day, Queensland, Australia

November

Book four days of leave from November 3 to 6 for nine days off between Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 8 (parts of Tasmania only).

Book four days of leave on November 2 and November 4 to 6 for nine days off between Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 8 (Victoria only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Monday, November 2: Recreation Day (parts of Tasmania)
  • Tuesday, November 3: Melbourne Cup (Victoria)

December

Book eight days off from December 21 to 24 and December 28 to 31 for 16 days off between Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, January 3, 2026 (all states and territories).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

  • Thursday, December 24: Christmas Eve – 6pm to midnight (Queensland), 7pm to midnight (NT, SA)
  • Friday, December 25: Christmas Day
  • Saturday, December 26: Boxing Day (all states and territories except Tasmania)
  • Monday, December 28: Boxing Day (day in lieu)
  • Thursday, December 31: New Year's Eve – 7pm to midnight (NT, SA)
  • Friday, January 1, 2027: New Year's Day

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