Already dreading being back on the tools? Then it’s time to start planning your annual leave for 2026.
This year, anyone willing to pony up roughly 20 days from their hard-earned balance could potentially enjoy over 50 days worth of an equally hard-earned break.
That is assuming nobody at head office – or the cubicle next to yours – makes too much of a fuss about the almost two-month absence.
Take note of the following proposed annual leave dates in relation to where you reside and book your time off accordingly. And remember: there’s a good chance you won’t be the only one thinking about this, so be sure to secure those dates before your colleagues do.
20 days is the legal minimum of annual leave afforded to your average full-time employee in Australia. Certain state holidays may vary, e.g. Victoria’s AFL Grand Final holiday, Melbourne Cup holiday (meaning even more bang for your buck if you’re savvy).
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The Best Annual Leave Dates To Book (2026)
January
Annual leave spent: 5 days
Total time off: 13 days
The best way to end the first month of the year after returning from holiday is with another holiday. This opening stretch of obligation-free, post-Christmas/New Year’s vacationing is, of course, thanks to Australia Day (January 26th).
We’ve bolded the dates that you need to book annual leave to maximise the HR-sanctioned bludgery.
Nation-wide
- Thursday, January 1 (New Year’s Day)
- Friday, January 2
- Saturday, January 3
- Sunday, January 4
- Saturday, January 24
- Sunday, January 25
- Monday, January 26
- Tuesday, January 27
- Wednesday, January 28
- Thursday, January 29
- Friday, January 30
- Saturday, January 31
- Sunday, February 1
Feb/March/April/May
Annual leave spent: Varies
Total time off: 10-19 days
This is the juicy one in any given calendar year due to Easter – though unfortunately not as juicy as 2025, given ANZAC Day falls on Saturday, April 25, weeks later. Four days down for 10 days off? It’s a no-brainer. Bonus burst on either side of this two-banger if you live outside of ACT, NSW, or SA.
TAS
- Friday, February 6
- Saturday, February 7
- Sunday, February 8
- Monday, February 9 (Royal Hobart Regatta)
VIC
- Saturday, March 7
- Sunday, March 8
- Monday, March 9 (Labour Day in VIC & TAS)
- Tuesday, March 10
- Wednesday, March 11
- Thursday, March 12
- Friday, March 13
- Saturday, March 14
- Sunday, March 15
Nation-wide
- Friday, April 3 (Good Friday)
- Saturday, April 4
- Sunday, April 5 (Easter Sunday)
- Monday, April 6 (Easter Monday)
- Tuesday, April 7
- Wednesday, April 8
- Thursday, April 9
- Friday, April 10
- Saturday, April 11
- Sunday, April 12
WA
- Saturday, April 25
- Sunday, April 26
- Monday, April 27 (Additional ANZAC Day Holiday)
- Tuesday, April 28
- Wednesday, April 29
- Thursday, April 30
- Friday, May 1
- Saturday, May 2
- Sunday, May 3
NT & QLD
- Saturday, May 2
- Sunday, May 3
- Monday, May 4 (Labour Day in QLD, May Day in NT)
- Tuesday, May 5
- Wednesday, May 6
- Thursday, May 7
- Friday, May 8
- Saturday, May 9
- Sunday, May 10
June
Annual leave spent: 4 days
Total time off: 9 days
Say what you will about old King Charles… at least he’s letting us take a day off.
Unfortunately for the folks over in Queensland and Western Australia, you won’t be able to take advantage of this specific hack. But you can finesse something similar when the time comes for your respective states’ King’s Birthday holiday on September 28th (WA) and October 5th (QLD); which we’ve outlined in the subsequent sections.
WA
- Saturday, May 30
- Sunday, May 31
- Monday, June 1 (Western Australia Day)
- Tuesday, June 2
- Wednesday, June 3
- Thursday, June 4
- Friday, June 5
- Saturday, June 6
- Sunday, June 7
Nation-wide excluding WA & QLD
- Saturday, June 6
- Sunday, June 7
- Monday, June 8 (King’s Birthday for every state/territory except WA & QLD)
- Tuesday, June 9
- Wednesday, June 10
- Thursday, June 11
- Friday, June 12
- Saturday, June 13
- Sunday, June 14
September/October/November
Annual leave spent: 4-8
Total time off: 9-18
As with most matters relating to public holidays, Victorians emerge as the big winners for this block.
VIC
- Saturday, September 19
- Sunday, September 20
- Monday, September 21
- Tuesday, September 22
- Wednesday, September 23
- Thursday, September 24
- Friday, September 25 (Grand Final Day)
- Saturday, September 26
- Sunday, September 27
- Saturday, October 31
- Sunday, November 1
- Monday, November 2
- Tuesday, November 3 (Melbourne Cup)
- Wednesday, November 4
- Thursday, November 5
- Friday, November 6
- Saturday, November 7
- Sunday, November 8
WA
- Saturday, September 26
- Sunday, September 27
- Monday, September 28 (King’s Birthday for WA)
- Tuesday, September 29
- Wednesday, September 30
- Thursday, October 1
- Friday, October 2
- Saturday, October 3
- Sunday, October 4
NSW, ACT, & SA
- Saturday, October 3
- Sunday, October 4
- Monday, October 5 (Labour Day in ACT, NSW, & SA)
- Tuesday, October 6
- Wednesday, October 7
- Thursday, October 8
- Friday, October 9
- Saturday, October 10
- Sunday, October 11
December/January 2027
Annual leave spent: 2-3 days
Total time off: 10 days
You’ve made it to the end of the year You’ve earned this. Now game it to the max, and don’t you dare return to the office until January 4th, 2026.
Nation-wide with minor differences
- Friday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
- Saturday, December 26 (Boxing Day)
- Sunday, December 27
- Monday, December 28 (Additional Boxing Day)
- Tuesday, December 29
- Wednesday, December 30
- Thursday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve public holiday for NT & SA)
- Friday, January 1 (New Year’s Day)
- Saturday, January 2
- Sunday, January 3
The Best Annual Leave Dates To Book In 2026 (Frequently Asked Questions)
Despite petitions to change the date, currently, Australia Day remains on January 26th. This year, the hotly-debated public holiday falls on a Sunday.
This year, Australia’s Good Friday falls on April 3rd, with Easter Sunday occurring on April 5th, followed by Easter Monday on April 6th.
Similar to previous years, ANZAC Day will occur on April 25th (a Saturday this year with an additional day observed on the 27th for WA).
This year, the King’s Birthday will occur on June 9th for all states and territories except for Queensland and Western Australia. Western Australia’s King’s Birthday is scheduled for September 28th, while Queensland enjoys its day off on October 5th.
A full-time employee is entitled to a minimum of four weeks (20 days) in paid annual leave for each year of service with their employer. An employee’s entitlement to annual leave accumulates continuously based on the number of ordinary hours they work.
