Planning Annual Leave Around Australia Day
Australia Day is a national public holiday on 26 January. Sitting at the tail of summer and the school holidays, it is a natural anchor for an early-year break, and a mid-week 26 January is well worth bridging.
When 26 January falls on a weekend, a substitute public holiday is observed on the following Monday in every state and territory.
When Australia Day falls, by state
| State / Territory | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) |
| Victoria | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) |
| Queensland | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) |
| Western Australia | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) Mon 1 Jun 2026 (Western Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) Mon 7 Jun 2027 (Western Australia Day) |
| South Australia | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) |
| Tasmania | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) |
| Australian Capital Territory | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) |
| Northern Territory | Mon 26 Jan 2026 (Australia Day) | Tue 26 Jan 2027 (Australia Day) |
Public-holiday dates rechecked 22 October 2026 against the Fair Work Ombudsman 2026 and 2027 lists.
Worked Australia Day examples for 2026 and 2027
Each example below is calculated from that jurisdiction's dated public holidays. The algorithm tests consecutive non-working segments and the working days between them, then ranks the qualifying blocks by days off per leave day. Workplace shutdowns, part-day holidays, rosters, and regional substitutions are not assumed.
2026 worked examples
| State or territory | Optimiser-derived example |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
| New South Wales | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
| Northern Territory | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
| Queensland | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
| South Australia | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
| Tasmania | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
| Victoria | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
| Western Australia | Book 4 leave days (Tue 27 Jan 2026, Wed 28 Jan 2026, Thu 29 Jan 2026, Fri 30 Jan 2026) for 9 days off, 2.2× efficiency |
2027 worked examples
| State or territory | Optimiser-derived example |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
| New South Wales | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
| Northern Territory | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
| Queensland | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
| South Australia | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
| Tasmania | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
| Victoria | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
| Western Australia | Book 1 leave day (Mon 25 Jan 2027) for 4 days off, 4.0× efficiency |
Related guides
Other holidays: Easter · Christmas & New Year · King's Birthday · Anzac Day · Labour Day.
By state: New South Wales · Victoria · Queensland · Western Australia · South Australia · Tasmania · Australian Capital Territory · Northern Territory.
Or read the complete strategy guide.