Maximise Annual Leave in South Australia
South Australia adds the Adelaide Cup in March and Proclamation Day on 24 December, the latter pairing with Christmas and Boxing Day for one of the country's strongest end-of-year runs.
Adelaide Cup (second Monday in March) and Proclamation Day (24 December) are additional public holidays. Below are every South Australia public holiday for 2026 and 2027, drawn from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the South Australia government, followed by the dates worth spending leave on.
South Australia public holidays, 2026 & 2027
| Date | Public holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan 2026 | New Year's Day | National |
| Mon 26 Jan 2026 | Australia Day | National |
| Mon 9 Mar 2026 | Adelaide Cup | State/Territory |
| Fri 3 Apr 2026 | Good Friday | National |
| Sat 4 Apr 2026 | Easter Saturday | State/Territory |
| Sun 5 Apr 2026 | Easter Sunday | State/Territory |
| Mon 6 Apr 2026 | Easter Monday | National |
| Sat 25 Apr 2026 | Anzac Day | National |
| Mon 8 Jun 2026 | King's Birthday | National |
| Mon 5 Oct 2026 | Labour Day | State/Territory |
| Fri 25 Dec 2026 | Christmas Day | National |
| Sat 26 Dec 2026 | Proclamation Day | State/Territory |
| Mon 28 Dec 2026 | Additional public holiday (Proclamation Day) (Proclamation Day falls on Saturday) | State/Territory |
| Fri 1 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day | National |
| Tue 26 Jan 2027 | Australia Day | National |
| Mon 8 Mar 2027 | Adelaide Cup | State/Territory |
| Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Good Friday | National |
| Sat 27 Mar 2027 | Easter Saturday | State/Territory |
| Sun 28 Mar 2027 | Easter Sunday | State/Territory |
| Mon 29 Mar 2027 | Easter Monday | National |
| Sun 25 Apr 2027 | Anzac Day | National |
| Mon 14 Jun 2027 | King's Birthday | National |
| Mon 4 Oct 2027 | Labour Day | State/Territory |
| Sat 25 Dec 2027 | Christmas Day | National |
| Sun 26 Dec 2027 | Proclamation Day | State/Territory |
| Mon 27 Dec 2027 | Additional public holiday (Christmas Day) (Christmas Day falls on Saturday) | State/Territory |
| Tue 28 Dec 2027 | Additional public holiday (Proclamation Day) (Proclamation Day falls on Sunday) | State/Territory |
Dates verified Sun 28 Jun 2026 against official sources. Regional holidays may vary within South Australia; confirm before booking.
The best leave bridges in South Australia
These are the 2026 public holidays that fall mid-week, where a day or two of leave buys a disproportionate number of days off:
- New Year's Day (Thu 1 Jan 2026) falls on a Thursday — book the Friday (1 leave day) for a four-day weekend.
How to plan your South Australia leave
The four strategies in the calculator suit different goals. Maximum Days Off chases raw efficiency; Longest Break stacks leave into one big trip; Balanced Year spreads breaks across the seasons; and Long Weekends turns single leave days into frequent three- and four-day weekends. Parents can switch on the school-holidays option to line breaks up with South Australia school terms.
Related guides
By holiday: Easter · Christmas & New Year · King's Birthday · Anzac Day · Labour Day · Australia Day.
Other states: New South Wales · Victoria · Queensland · Western Australia · Tasmania · Australian Capital Territory · Northern Territory.
Start with the complete strategy guide.