With 2024 done and dusted, what better way to ring in the new year than by planning your annual leave?
You can maximise your breaks throughout the year by timing 18 of your annual leave days right.
And we’re going to show you how.
But before we start, there’s a couple of caveats:
- For this schedule to work, you’ll need to be in a job that doesn’t require you to work public holidays
- Dates may vary for regions in the Northern Territory and Queensland due to regional show days
OK, let’s dive in.
Australian Capital Territory
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- March 10: Canberra Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- June 2: Reconciliation Day (day in lieu)
- June 9: King’s Birthday
- October 6: Labour Day
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
June: Book four days’ leave for 10 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, May 31 — Monday, June 9
Book annual leave for:
- Tuesday, June 3
- Wednesday, June 4
- Thursday, June 5
- Friday, June 6
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
New South Wales
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- June 9: King’s Birthday
- August 4: Bank Holiday
- October 6: Labour Day
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
August: Book four days’ leave for nine days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, August 2 — Sunday, August 10
Book annual leave for:
- Tuesday, August 5
- Wednesday, August 6
- Thursday, August 7
- Friday, August 8
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
Northern Territory
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- May 5: May Day
- June 9: King’s Birthday
- July 4: Alice Springs Show Day*
- July 11: Tennant Creek Show Day*
- July 18: Katherine Show Day*
- July 25: Darwin Show Day*
- August 4: Picnic Day
- December 24: Christmas Eve — part-day holiday
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
- December 31: New Year’s Eve — part-day holiday
*Regional holiday
Check this map to find out which show day applies to your area.
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
August: Book four days’ leave for nine days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, August 2 — Sunday, August 10
Book annual leave for:
- Tuesday, August 5
- Wednesday, August 6
- Thursday, August 7
- Friday, August 8
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
Queensland
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- May 5: Labour Day
- August 13: Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only*)
- October 6: King’s Birthday
- December 24: Christmas Eve — part-day holiday
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
*Areas in the Greater Brisbane region are appointed alternative days off during this week.
Each region outside the Greater Brisbane area is appointed a public holiday for its annual agriculture shows. Click here to check when your area’s public holiday is scheduled.
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
August: Book four days’ leave for nine days off
These dates will only work if you live in the Greater Brisbane area and get a public holiday for the Royal Queensland Show.
If you live elsewhere in Queensland, you can take the same amount of days off around your region’s show holiday or around the King’s Birthday public holiday in October.
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, August 9 — Sunday, August 17
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, August 11
- Tuesday, August 12
- Thursday, August 14
- Friday, August 15
Note: Your show day may not fall on Wednesday, depending on your local government area. But if you live in the Greater Brisbane area, it will fall on one day this week.
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
South Australia
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- March 10: Adelaide Cup Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- June 9: King’s Birthday
- October 6: Labour Day
- December 24: Christmas Eve — part-day holiday
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
- December 31: New Year’s Eve — part-day holiday
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
June or October: Book four days’ leave for nine days off
South Australia is one of the few states that doesn’t have any public holidays during the month of August, which makes the spacing of a mid-year holiday less even.
If you’d like to book around a public holiday, you can take a pick of doing so in June or October.
Here’s how:
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, June 7 — Sunday, June 15
Book annual leave for:
- Tuesday, June 10
- Wednesday, June 11
- Thursday, June 12
- Friday, June 13
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, October 4 — Sunday, October 12
Book annual leave for:
- Tuesday, October 7
- Wednesday, October 8
- Thursday, October 9
- Friday, October 10
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
Tasmania
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- March 10: Eight Hours Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- June 9: King’s Birthday
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
Tasmania also enjoys a number of regional public holidays throughout the year.
Click here to check the full list relevant to your area.
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
June: Book four days’ leave for nine days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, June 7 — Sunday, June 15
Book annual leave for:
- Tuesday, June 10
- Wednesday, June 11
- Thursday, June 12
- Friday, June 13
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
Western Australia
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- March 3: Labour Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- June 2: Western Australia Day
- September 29: King’s Birthday
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
September/October: Book four days’ leave for nine days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, September 27 — Sunday, October 5
Book annual leave for:
- Tuesday, September 30
- Wednesday, October 1
- Thursday, October 2
- Friday, October 3
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
Victoria
2025 public holidays:
- January 1: New Year’s Day
- January 27: Australia Day
- March 10: Labour Day
- April 18: Good Friday
- April 19: Easter Saturday
- April 20: Easter Sunday
- April 21: Easter Monday
- April 25: ANZAC Day
- June 9: King’s Birthday
- September 26: Friday before the AFL Grand Final
- November 4: Melbourne Cup
- December 25: Christmas Day
- December 26: Boxing Day
How to maximise your time off
April: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, April 12 — Sunday, April 27
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, April 14
- Tuesday, April 15
- Wednesday, April 16
- Thursday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 22
- Wednesday, April 23
- Thursday, April 24
September: Book four days’ leave for nine days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, September 20 — Sunday, September 28
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, September 22
- Tuesday, September 23
- Wednesday, September 24
- Thursday, September 25
December/January: Book seven days’ leave for 16 days off
To secure time off from:
- Saturday, December 20 — Sunday, January 4
Book annual leave for:
- Monday, December 22
- Tuesday, December 23
- Wednesday, December 24
- Monday, December 29
- Tuesday, December 30
- Wednesday, December 31
- Friday, January 2
A quick tip
For most of the states and territories, there’s room to adjust the mid-year leave we listed.
That’s because you can pull the four days of annual leave for nine days off card for most public holidays that fall on a Monday or Friday.
For example, in Victoria you could move that week off in September to fit around the Melbourne Cup holiday to November instead.
When is Easter in 2025?
Unlike Christmas Day, which is on the same date each year, the Easter weekend moves around.
In 2025, Easter will be in mid-April, with Good Friday falling on April 18, Easter Sunday on April 20 and Easter Monday on April 21.
Easter can shift to any time between March 25 and April 25 each year, based on the Moon’s cycle.
In 325 AD, the first major church council, the Council of Nicaea, determined that Easter should fall on the Sunday following the first full moon after the northern hemisphere’s spring equinox.