Double annual leave with Australian public holidays in 2024 - Travel News

Sep 18, 2023

We’re calling it: Holiday math.

For many of us there aren’t enough annual leave days in the calendar year. We hoard our annual leave days and allow them to accumulate so when we do want to go on a big holiday we can do so without taking unpaid leave.

But we’re here to tell you that you can holiday now without sacrificing a big chunk of your annual leave days. All you have to do is time your annual leave days with public holidays.

So if you’re looking to take a trip in 2024, but don’t want to burn through all your annual leave, here’s a month-by-month guide on how you can take 40 days of leave while only using up 17 days of annual leave, or even just a nine-day holiday that only uses up four days of annual leave.

First up, here are all the public holidays across Australia in 2024.

Public holidays

Monday, January 1 – New Year’s Day (Nationwide)
Friday, January 26– Australia Day (Nationwide)
Monday, February 12 – Royal Hobart Regatta (only observed in certain areas of the state) (TAS)
Monday, March 4 – Labour Day (WA)
Monday, March 11 – Eight Hours Day (TAS)
Monday, March 11 – Canberra Day (ACT)
Monday, March 11 – Labour Day (VIC)
Friday, March 29 – Good Friday (Nationwide)
Saturday, March 30 – Easter Saturday (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, VIC)
Sunday, March 31 – Easter Sunday (ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, VIC, WA)
Monday, April 1 – Easter Monday (Nationwide)
Tuesday, April 2 – Easter Tuesday (generally Tasmanian Public Service only) (TAS)
Thursday, April 25 – Anzac Day (Nationwide)
Monday, May 6 – May Day (NT, QLD)
Monday, May 27 – Reconciliation Day (ACT)
Monday, June 3 – Western Australia Day (WA)
Monday, June 10 – Sovereign’s/King’s Birthday (ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS, VIC)
Monday, August 5 – Picnic Day (NT)
Wednesday, August 14 – Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane only) (QLD)
Monday, September 23 – King’s Birthday (some regional areas in WA hold the King’s Birthday public holiday on a different date) (WA)
Monday, October 7 – Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA)
Monday, October 7 – King’s Birthday (QLD)
Friday before AFL Grand Final (subject to AFL schedule) (VIC)
Tuesday, November 5 – Melbourne Cup (VIC)
Monday, November 4 – Recreation Day (areas of the state that don’t observe Royal Hobart Regatta) (TAS)
Wednesday, December 25 – Christmas Day (Nationwide)
Thursday, December 26 – Boxing Day (Nationwide)

Bouddi National Park

January 2024

All states:

Australia Day – Friday, January 26

You can maximise your leave around Australia Day multiple ways. You can take Monday, January 29 off and have a four day break by taking one day of annual leave. Alternatively you can make the most of summer and take four days off before the 26th, which will give you a nine-day holiday (from the 20th to 28th) in exchange for four days annual leave. Or take five days of annual leave after the 26th and you will have 10 days of holiday from January 26 to February 4.

February 2024

Tasmania:

Royal Hobart Regatta — Monday, February 12

Make it an extra long weekend by taking annual leave on Friday, February 9 or make it a nine-day holiday by taking just four days of annual leave from February 13 to 16.

March 2024

Western Australia:

Labour Day — Monday, March 4

Take four days off — March 5, 6, 7 and 8 — to get nine days off in total.

South Australia, ACT, Tasmania, Victoria:

These states all have public holidays the following weekend on Monday, March 11.

Again, you can take four days off — March 12, 13, 14 and 15 — to score a nine-day holiday.

April 2024

All states:

Good Friday — Friday, March 29
Easter Monday — Monday, April 1

This is the most important holiday period to capitalise on, so pay attention. You can double your leave and get a total of 16 days off by taking just eight days of annual leave. You’ll need to book in annual leave from March 25-28 and then April 2-5 and let the public holidays and weekends do the rest.

All states:

Anzac Day – Thursday, April 25

Take Friday, April 26 off to make it a four-day weekend, or extend the break to nine days (April 20 to 28) by taking just four days of annual leave on April 22, 23, 24 and 26.

Cabarita Beach. Source: DNSW

May 2024

Northern Territory and Queensland:

May Day – Monday, May 6.

Turn the three day weekend into four days by taking Friday, May 3 as annual leave. For a nine-day holiday, take four days of annual leave from May 7 to 10.

ACT:

Reconciliation Day – Monday, May 27.

Take May 28-31 as annual leave for a nine-day break between May 25 and June 2. Or make it a four day weekend by taking Friday, May 24, as annual leave.

June 2024

Western Australia:

Western Australia Day – Monday, June 3

For a nine-day holiday take leave on June 4 to 7.

All states (except Western Australia and Queensland):

King’s Birthday – Monday, June 10

Again, you can score a nine-day holiday by only taking four days of leave on June 11, to 14.

August 2024

Northern Territory:

Picnic Day – Monday, August 5

Take annual leave from August 6 to 9 for a nine-day holiday.

Queensland:

Royal Queensland Show – Wednesday, August 14

Brisbane-area residents get a day off for the annual Royal Queensland Show, also known as The Ekka. For five days off, you can take annual leave on August 15 and 16. For a nine-day holiday, take annual leave on August 12, 13, 15 and 16. Find out if your Brisbane suburb qualifies for the public holiday via the Queensland government’s website.

September 2024

Western Australia:

King’s Birthday — Monday, September 23

If you want a nine-day holiday for just four annual leave days take September 24, 25, 26 and 27 off.

Victoria:

The AFL Grand Final public holiday changes year to year, so the date has not yet been set. But, if you want to get nine days off for the price of four, take four days of annual leave before the public holiday.

October 2024

ACT, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland:

Labour Day – Monday, October 7
King’s Birthday – Monday, October 7

Queensland will honour the King’s Birthday in October, while the ACT, New South Wales and South Australia will recognise Labour Day. Same applies here, make it an extra long weekend by taking Friday, October 4, as annual leave or for nine days off for just four days annual leave by signing off on October 8 to 11.

How many of these top 14 NSW road trip destinations have you visited?

November 2024

Tasmania:

Recreation Day – Monday, November 4

Take annual leave on November 5, 6, 7 and 8 for a nine-day holiday.

Victoria:

Melbourne Cup – Tuesday, November 5

For a quick four-day getaway, take Monday November 4 off. For a longer break, you can book annual leave on November 4, 6, 7 and 8 and get nine days off for four days of annual leave.

December 2024

All states:

Christmas Day — Wednesday, December 25
Boxing Day — Thursday, December 26
New Year’s Day — Wednesday, January 1

This is another biggie. If you take December 23, 24, 27, 30, 31 and January 2 and 3, for seven days of annual leave you’ll get 16 days off in return. If you can’t take the full two and a bit weeks off, you can take December 23, 24 and 27 as annual leave and have nine days off work. Or, around New Years, take December 30, 31 and January 2 as annual leave for a nine-day break.