Maximise Annual Leave in Victoria
Victoria is the richest state for leave bridging: on top of the national holidays it adds the March Labour Day, the Friday before the AFL Grand Final, and Melbourne Cup Day on the first Tuesday in November.
Melbourne Cup Day (first Tuesday in November) is a public holiday for metropolitan Melbourne; AFL Grand Final Friday may also be declared. Labour Day is the second Monday in March. Below are every Victoria public holiday for 2026 and 2027, drawn from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Victoria government, followed by the dates worth spending leave on.
Victoria 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 | Labour Day | State/Territory |
| Fri 3 Apr 2026 | Good Friday | National |
| Sat 4 Apr 2026 | Saturday before Easter Sunday | 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 |
| Tue 3 Nov 2026 | Melbourne Cup (Metro Melbourne; some regional areas observe on a different date) | State/Territory |
| Fri 25 Dec 2026 | Christmas Day | National |
| Sat 26 Dec 2026 | Boxing Day | National |
| Mon 28 Dec 2026 | Additional public holiday (Boxing Day) (Boxing 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 | Labour Day | State/Territory |
| Fri 26 Mar 2027 | Good Friday | National |
| Sat 27 Mar 2027 | Saturday before Easter Sunday | 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 |
| Tue 2 Nov 2027 | Melbourne Cup (Metro Melbourne; some regional areas observe on a different date) | State/Territory |
| Sat 25 Dec 2027 | Christmas Day | National |
| Sun 26 Dec 2027 | Boxing Day | National |
| Mon 27 Dec 2027 | Additional public holiday (Christmas Day) (Christmas Day falls on Saturday) | State/Territory |
| Tue 28 Dec 2027 | Additional public holiday (Boxing Day) (Boxing Day falls on Sunday) | State/Territory |
Dates verified Sun 28 Jun 2026 against official sources. Regional holidays may vary within Victoria; confirm before booking.
The best leave bridges in Victoria
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.
- Melbourne Cup (Tue 3 Nov 2026) falls on a Tuesday — book the Monday (1 leave day) for a four-day weekend.
How to plan your Victoria 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 Victoria school terms.
Related guides
By holiday: Easter · Christmas & New Year · King's Birthday · Anzac Day · Labour Day · Australia Day.
Other states: New South Wales · Queensland · Western Australia · South Australia · Tasmania · Australian Capital Territory · Northern Territory.
Start with the complete strategy guide.