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 20 July 2026 against the Fair Work Ombudsman and state/territory sources.
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.