How to Maximise Your Annual Leave in 2026 (Aussie Edition)
Slow days in the Scenic Rim, Queensland.
Every year, I hear the same thing from readers and friends… “I just don’t have enough annual leave to travel properly.”
But here’s the secret, most of us do. We’re just not using it strategically.
For years, I’ve worked a full-time 9-5 while still ticking off bucket list destinations. The difference? I plan my trips around public holidays to make my annual leave go further. This is the exact hack I used to travel to Palau, Morocco, Spain, and Tasmania all in 2025. And 2026 is shaping up to be a very good year for smart travellers.
This guide will show you how to turn a handful of leave days into longer adventures, with destination ideas, and how to truly shift from tourist to traveller.
Why Annual Leave Planning Changes Everything
Annual leave isn’t just time off, it’s opportunity.
When you plan ahead:
You can turn 20 days (4 weeks) annual leave into 40+ days travel
You travel more without sacrificing job security
Flights and accommodation are cheaper
You avoid burnout by spreading breaks across the year
You stop “saving leave” and start living
This is especially powerful if, like many of us, you can’t just disappear for three weeks at a time.
Let’s break this down properly, because this is where most people realise they’ve been underestimating what’s possible.
The Starting Point
Most full-time Australians receive:
4 weeks annual leave = 20 days
10-13 public holidays depending on your state
Used randomly, those 20 days disappear fast. Used strategically? They multiply.
The Big Picture: What 20 Days Can Really Become
With smart planning around public holidays, 20 days of annual leave in 2026 can realistically turn into 45-50 days off work total. That’s 9-10 weeks’ worth of travel time spread across the year, without taking unpaid leave or career breaks.
Yes, really. Here’s how.
Perfect blues at Twilight Beach in Western Australia.
Australia’s Key Public Holiday Opportunities in 2026
(Dates are national. Always double-check state-specific holidays)
New Year’s Day - Thursday 1 January
Take: Fri 2 Jan
Get: 4-day long weekend
Perfect for:
A slow coastal reset
A tiny house or off-grid stay
A short-haul international escape (hello Bali)
Traveller tip:
This is prime time for Tasmania. Pair this with a Bruny Island overnight stay… think wild coastlines, food trails and zero rush. Discover Unmissable things to see and do in Tasmania
Australia Day - Monday 26 January
Take: Tue 27-Fri 30 Jan
Get: 9 days off using 4 leave days
Where to go:
South Australia road trip (wine regions, coastal towns, zero crowds)
Western Australia’s south-west
New Zealand if you want an international flavour without jet lag
Palau, for a Micronesian escape
Where to stay (overnight ideas):
Boutique vineyard stays
Coastal eco-lodges
Converted farm stays
Where to eat:
Local produce-driven cafés, cellar doors with innovative menus, seaside bakeries.
Curious about Palau? Take a look at the Ultimate 7-Day Palau Itinerary.
Easter - Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April
Take: Tue 7-Fri 10 April
Get: 10 days off using 4 leave days
This is one of the best leave hacks of the year, and I love taking advantage of this one.
Perfect for:
Morocco-style itineraries (if international)
Japan cherry blossom season
Tasmania’s hiking and wine regions
Spain’s shoulder season cities
Traveller move:
Choose one base and explore deeply… don’t city-hop just to tick boxes. Explore the Ultimate Guide to Malaga, Spain, the perfect shoulder season destination.
King’s Birthday - Monday 8 June (National, except QLD & WA)
Take: Tue 9-Fri 12 June
Get: 9 days off using 4 leave days
Ideal for:
Cooler-weather travel
City + nature combinations
Wellness-style trips
Where to go:
Scenic Rim (rolling hills, wineries, and charming regional towns)
Hunter Valley (wine tasting at it’s finest)
Whitsundays (escape winter all together)
Uluru (perfect temps)
Stay ideas:
Design-led boutique hotels
Winery stays
Tiny house escapes
Eco-lodges with fireplaces
Labour Day (varies by state - March, May or October)
This is where being state-aware pays off.
Traveller hack:
If your Labour Day falls in March or October, combine it with a few leave days for a long weekend road trip. If your Labour Day falls in May (QLD), take advantage of a longer trip by combining it with the ANZAC Day holiday (prices are usually great during this time) for:
Spain or Portugal (warm days, fewer crowds)
Jordan or Egypt (this also makes a great combo)
Northern Western Australia before peak season
Christmas - Friday 25 December
Take: Mon 21-Thu 24 Dec
Get: 9 days off using 4 leave days
Or go bigger by tacking leave onto early January.
Perfect for:
Long-haul trips or multi-country itineraries
Once-a-year bucket list adventures
White Christmas destinations (Eg. Lapland)
Traveller mindset shift:
Skip “Christmas chaos” travel, it can be expensive and stressful. Choose destinations where Christmas is low-key, or lean into slow travel and base yourself somewhere for a week or more.
Additional State-by-State Public Holidays
One of the most overlooked annual leave strategies? Knowing your state-specific public holidays and using them to your advantage. These extra days can unlock short-but-sweet getaways, or become the perfect anchor for a bigger adventure. Here are a few to note:
VIC: Melbourne Cup Day - Tuesday 3 November, & AFL Grand Final
QLD: Show Holidays (vary by location)
SA: Adelaide Cup Day - Monday 9 March 2026
WA: WA Day - Monday 1 June 2026
TAS: Eight Hours Day - Monday 9 March 2026
NT: Picnic Day - Monday 3 August 2026
ACT: Canberra Day - Monday 9 March 2026
Dramatic landscapes in Western Australia.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
Here’s a conservative but achievable example for 2026:
Easter: Turn 4 days annual leave into 10 days
King’s Birthday: Turn 4 days annual leave into 9 days
Labour Day: Turn 4 days annual leave into 9 days
Christmas/New Year: Turn 6 days annual leave into 17 days
Total: 18 days annual leave = 45 days off
That leaves 2 spare leave days for:
A long weekend escape
A sick-day buffer
Or stacking onto another trip
All while:
Keeping your job
Avoiding burnout
Travelling in better seasons
Experiencing places more deeply
That’s the Tourist to Traveller difference.
How to Travel Like a Traveller (Not a Tourist) With Limited Leave
This isn’t just about squeezing in more trips.
It’s about:
Giving yourself regular things to look forward to
Designing a life where travel fits around work
Travelling slower, deeper, and with more intention
Stopping the “I’ll do it one day” mindset
Because one day doesn’t magically appear, planning does.
✔ Choose fewer destinations
Depth beats speed every time.
✔ Travel shoulder season
Better prices, fewer crowds, richer experiences.
✔ Book accommodation that enhances the trip
Think location, character and walkability over size.
✔ Build recovery time into your itinerary
Burnout isn’t adventurous - it’s avoidable.
Make 2026 the Year You Stop Waiting
You don’t need more leave. You don’t need a career break. You don’t need permission. You just need a plan.
2026 is stacked with opportunity, and with a little foresight, your annual leave can unlock more memories, more adventures and more of the life you actually want to be living.