The best part about deciding to book a holiday is the dreaming, researching and planning. And the worst is undeniably calculating how much annual leave you’ll have to take to make that dream vacation a reality.
The good news is that with some clever planning around the public holiday dates you can maximise your break while minimising how much time you need to take off from work. A 10-day trip to Bali that only requires three days of annual leave? Totally achievable.
Read on for the nationwide public holiday dates, public holidays by state and territory, and our recommendations for which days to take off to make the most of your annual leave. And if you need travel inspiration for your trip, we’ve got that covered, too.
Australia public holidays 2025
Wedneday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Saturday 19 April – Easter Saturday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day
Jump to public holidays for each state
How to maximise your annual leave
January 2025
Use 4 days of leave to get a 9-day break.
Public holiday: Monday 27 January.
Take leave on: Tuesday 28 January – Friday January 31.
Annual leave used: 4 days
Book your trip: Depart the evening of Friday 24 January 2025 and return on Sunday 2 February 2025.
Holiday inspiration: Taste your way through Tassie on a road trip along the cheese and wine trail with an evening flight to Hobart.
Or for a beach getaway, dive straight into paradise with a morning flight to Fiji. Stay at a resort on Denarau Island for easy access to day trips on the reef or combine travels with an island experience, checking into one of the many resorts in the Mamanucas Islands.
April 2025
Use 3 days of leave to get a 10-day break.
Public holidays: Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April and Friday 25 April
Take leave on: Tuesday 22 April – Thursday 24 April.
Annual leave used: 3 days
Book your trip: Depart evening Thursday 17 April 2025 and return on Sunday 27 April 2025.
Holiday inspiration: Pack a sarong and unwind for 10 days at a Balinese retreat by taking an evening flight from Melbourne or Sydney to Bali. Get amongst the vibrant surf culture of Canggu or enjoy a yoga retreat in Ubud – with so many things to do in Bali, you might feel like 10 days just isn’t enough!
For those who’d prefer to stay local, the warm April temperatures in Cairns make it an ideal domestic tropical getaway. Book a night flight to Cairns to get the most out of the holiday, ensuring a full day of snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef on day one of your holiday.
Alternatively, you can truly maximise the Easter/ Australia Day public holidays for a longer holiday by using 7 days of annual leave for a mammoth 16-day break.
Public holiday: Friday 18 April – Monday 21 April and Friday 25 April.
Take leave on: Monday 14 April - Thursday 17 April; Tuesday 22 April – Thursday 24 April.
Annual leave used: 7 days
Book your trip: Depart the evening of Friday 11 April 2025 and return on Sunday 27 April 2025.
Holiday inspiration: Head overseas on a flight to Tokyo for a memorable 16-day holiday experience right in the middle of Cherry Blossom season. The afternoon flight has you touching down in Tokyo just in time to head to Omoide Yokocho for ramen!
For an extended long weekend without eating into your leave, use 1 day of annual leave for a 4-day break.
Public holiday: Friday 25 April.
Take leave on: Thursday 24 April or Monday 28 April.
Annual leave used: 1 day
Book your trip: Depart the evening of Wednesday 23 April 2025 and return on Sunday 27 April 2025, or depart the evening of Thursday 24 April 2025 and return on Monday 28 April 2025.
Holiday inspiration: Give Adelaide’s vibrant food and wine scene the time it deserves with an extended long weekend of exploration. Head to the airport after work on Wednesday 24 April to catch a night flight to Adelaide to maximise your long weekend festivities - we recommend heading out to the Barossa Valley wineries!
December 2025/January 2026
Use 5 days of annual leave for a 12-day break.
Public holidays: Thursday 25 December – Friday 26 December, Wednesday 1 January
Take leave on: Wedneday 24 December, Monday 29 December – Wednesday 31 December; Friday 2 January
Annual leave used: 5 days
Book your trip: Depart the evening of Tuesday 23 December 2025 and return on Sunday 4 January 2026
Holiday inspiration: Take an evening flight to the Gold Coast for a festive family holiday in the sunshine. Devote days to beach-hopping and immerse yourself in an adrenaline-filled day at Dreamworld or Movie World.
Alternatively, plan a unique holiday to tropical Vanuatu. With direct flights from Brisbane to Vanuatu in under three hours, December is the perfect time to travel to this Pacific paradise. Among the things to do in Vanuatu, enjoy the wonderful local culture, explore pristine beaches, and try a tongue-numbing kava.
Public holidays by state and territory
There’s even more chance to hack your 2025 annual leave by taking advantage of the public holiday dates in your state. For example, both the King’s Birthday and Labour Day public holidays fall on a Monday, so taking the 4 days of annual leave from the Tuesday to Friday that follow can give you a 9-day break.
NSW public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Saturday 19 April – Easter Saturday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 9 June – King's Birthday
Monday 6 October – Labour Day
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day
VIC public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Monday 10 March – Labour Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Saturday 19 April – Saturday before Easter Sunday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 9 June – King's Birthday
Date TBC – Friday before AFL Grand Final
Tuesday 4 November – Melbourne Cup
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day
ACT public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Monday 10 March - Canberra Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Saturday 19 April – Day following Good Friday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 2 June - Reconciliation Day
Monday 9 June – King's Birthday
Monday 6 October – Labour Day
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day
QLD public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Saturday 19 April – The day after Good Friday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 5 May - Labour Day
Wednesday 13 August - Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only)
Monday 6 October – King's Birthday
Wednesday 24 December – Christmas Eve (from 6pm to midnight)
Wednesday 25 December – Christmas Day
Thursday 26 December – Boxing Day
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day
SA public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Monday 10 March – Adelaide Cup Day (subject to proclamation)
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Saturday 19 April – Easter Saturday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 9 June – King's Birthday
Monday 6 October – Labour Day
Wednesday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Proclamation Day public holiday / Boxing Day
Wednesday 31 December – New Year's Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
NT public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Saturday 19 April – Easter Saturday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 5 May - May Day
Monday 10 June – King's Birthday
Monday 4 August - Picnic Day
Wednesday 24 December - Christmas Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day
Wednesday 31 December – New Year's Eve (from 7pm to midnight)
WA public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Monday 3 March – Labour Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Sunday 20 April – Easter Sunday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 2 June - Western Australia Day
Monday 29 September – King's Birthday
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day
TAS public holidays 2025
Wednesday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Monday 27 January – Australia Day
Monday 10 February - Royal Hobart Regatta (only observed in certain areas of the state)
Monday 10 March - Eight Hours Day
Friday 18 April – Good Friday
Monday 21 April – Easter Monday
Tuesday 22 April - Easter Tuesday (generally Tasmanian Public Service only)
Friday 25 April – Anzac Day
Monday 9 June - King's Birthday
Monday 3 November - Recreation Day (areas of the state that don’t observe Royal Hobart Regatta)
Thursday 25 December – Christmas Day
Friday 26 December – Boxing Day