How to Maximise Annual Leave in Australia in 2027

2027 is a sneaky good year for annual leave in Australia. The public holidays fall so that a handful of cleverly placed leave days turns into proper holidays: 23 days of leave can stretch into 56 days off if you use every hack below. Here is exactly how to do it, and why you should book before everyone else in your office does.

The Trick, Quickly

Public holidays that land next to weekends are free days off. You only burn leave on the working days in between. In 2027 there are seven windows to work with, and the quick version is:

• Australia Day (late January): 4 days leave = 9 days off
• Easter (late March/April): 4 days leave = 10 days off
• Anzac Day (late April/May): 4 days leave = 9 days off, but not in VIC, SA or TAS
• King's Birthday (June): 4 days leave = 9 days off, but not in QLD or WA
• Labour Day / King's Birthday (October): 4 days leave = 9 days off in NSW, ACT, SA and QLD
• Christmas/New Year (December): 3 days leave = 10 days off, the best of the lot

Add WA's September King's Birthday, plus WA's March Labour Day and Victoria's early-March Labour Day, and every state gets at least six chances at a nine-day break.

2027 Public Holidays at a Glance

Quick reference before the month-by-month hacks:

• New Year's Day: Fri 1 Jan (all states)
• Australia Day: Tue 26 Jan (all states)
• Labour Day: WA Mon 1 Mar | VIC Mon 8 Mar | QLD Mon 3 May | NSW, ACT, SA Mon 4 Oct
• Good Friday: Fri 26 Mar (all states)
• Easter Monday: Mon 29 Mar (all states)
• Anzac Day substitute: Mon 26 Apr (all states except VIC, SA and TAS)
• King's Birthday: most states Mon 14 Jun | WA Mon 27 Sep | QLD Mon 4 Oct
• Christmas Day substitute: Mon 27 Dec (all states)
• Boxing Day substitute: Tue 28 Dec (all states)
• New Year's Day 2028 substitute: Mon 3 Jan (all states)

The NT also adds a few local holidays of its own, so double-check the official NT calendar.

January 2027: Australia Day

4 days of leave = 9 days off (Sat 23 Jan to Sun 31 Jan). Every state gets this one:

• Sat 23 - Sun 24 Jan: weekend
• Mon 25 Jan: annual leave
• Tue 26 Jan: public holiday (Australia Day)
• Wed 27 - Fri 29 Jan: annual leave
• Sat 30 - Sun 31 Jan: weekend

March/April 2027: Easter

4 days of leave = 10 days off (Fri 26 Mar to Sun 4 Apr). Every state gets this one:

• Fri 26 Mar: public holiday (Good Friday)
• Sat 27 - Sun 28 Mar: weekend
• Mon 29 Mar: public holiday (Easter Monday)
• Tue 30 Mar - Fri 2 Apr: annual leave
• Sat 3 - Sun 4 Apr: weekend

Warm water on the east coast by then too. Perfect for a Port Douglas or Great Ocean Road run.

April/May 2027: Anzac Day

4 days of leave = 9 days off (Sat 24 Apr to Sun 2 May) - works in every state except VIC, SA and TAS, where Anzac Day does not get a Monday substitute:

• Sat 24 - Sun 25 Apr: weekend (Anzac Day itself)
• Mon 26 Apr: public holiday (Anzac Day substitute)
• Tue 27 - Fri 30 Apr: annual leave
• Sat 1 - Sun 2 May: weekend

June 2027: King's Birthday

4 days of leave = 9 days off (Sat 12 Jun to Sun 20 Jun) - every state except QLD and WA:

• Sat 12 - Sun 13 Jun: weekend
• Mon 14 Jun: public holiday (King's Birthday)
• Tue 15 - Fri 18 Jun: annual leave
• Sat 19 - Sun 20 Jun: weekend

QLD and WA: your King's Birthday is later in the year (QLD: Mon 4 Oct, WA: Mon 27 Sep), so use the October hack below.

September/October 2027: Labour Day and late King's Birthday

4 days of leave = 9 days off in four different versions depending on your state:

• NSW, ACT, SA: Labour Day Mon 4 Oct. Take Tue 5 - Fri 8 Oct off, away Sat 2 Oct - Sun 10 Oct
• QLD: King's Birthday Mon 4 Oct. Same leave, same days off
• WA: King's Birthday Mon 27 Sep. Take Tue 28 Sep - Fri 1 Oct off, away Sat 25 Sep - Sun 3 Oct
• WA earlier option: Labour Day Mon 1 Mar. Take Tue 2 - Fri 5 Mar off, away Sat 27 Feb - Sun 7 Mar
• VIC: Labour Day Mon 8 Mar. Take Tue 9 - Fri 12 Mar off, away Sat 6 - Sun 14 Mar

December 2027/January 2028: Christmas and New Year

3 days of leave = 10 days off (Sat 25 Dec to Mon 3 Jan). Every state gets this one, and it is the best hack of the year:

• Sat 25 - Sun 26 Dec: weekend (Christmas and Boxing Day)
• Mon 27 Dec: public holiday (Christmas Day substitute)
• Tue 28 Dec: public holiday (Boxing Day substitute)
• Wed 29 - Fri 31 Dec: annual leave
• Sat 1 - Sun 2 Jan: weekend
• Mon 3 Jan: public holiday (New Year's Day substitute)

Want the monster break? Tag 13 to 24 December (10 more days of leave) onto the front and you are away for three full weeks using just 13 days of leave.

Book Early, Book Smart

More Travel Inspiration

Got the days off? Use them on one of these trips:

• 6 Best Day Trips from Sydney
• 20 Must-See Spots in Japan
• 13 Top Things to Do in Port Douglas
• The Best Things to Do on the Great Ocean Road