How to Hack Your Annual Leave in 2024 and Maximise Your Holidays

We’re in the midst of the Christmas break which is a saving grace for most people at the end of the work year. As we enter 2024 you may already be wondering when the next time for a holiday is and we’re here to help you find the best options. You see, with some careful planning around 2024 public holiday dates, you can easily turn your annual leave allowance into a massive holiday.

Here are the public holiday dates you should look out for in the new year.

Australian public holiday dates for 2024

January public holidays

• Monday, January 1 (New Year’s Day)
• Friday, January 26 (Australia Day)

Starting off in January we have the end of the Christmas break period with the New Year’s holiday on January 1. After that it’s only a few short weeks until our next day off with the January 26 public holiday, which falls on a Friday this year, making it a natural long weekend. To extend this you can add an annual leave day on the Thursday prior or Monday afterwards to get a four-day weekend.

February public holiday dates

• Monday, February 12 (Royal Hobart Regatta, certain parts of TAS)

Those in certain parts of Tasmania will be able to enjoy a long weekend on February 12.

Public holidays in March

• Monday, March 4 (Labour Day, WA)
• Monday, March 11 (Canberra Day, ACT)
• Monday, March 11 (Adelaide Cup Day, SA)
• Monday, March 11 (Eight Hours Day, TAS)
• Monday, March 11 (Labour Day, VIC)
• Friday, March 29 (Good Friday)
• Sunday, March 31 (Easter Sunday)

March offers a smorgasbord of different states offering public holidays in early march for various reasons (unfortunately, QLD and NSW miss out).

Later in the month, we have the Easter break, which includes a four day long weekend thanks to Good Friday and Easter Monday. Taking off the four days in the week commencing March 25 will get you a 10-day holiday for just four annual leave days.

Public holidays in April

• Monday, April 1 (Easter Monday)
• Thursday, April 25 (ANZAC Day)

For those wanting a break after the Easter weekend, the ANZAC day holiday falls on a Thursday this year, meaning you can take Friday the 26th of April off and get a four day weekend.

May Public Holidays in Australia

• Monday, May 6 (May Day, NT)
• Monday, May 6 (Labour Day, QLD)
• Monday, May 27 (Reconciliation Day, ACT)

Those in the Northern Territory, Queensland and ACT get various public holidays in May. If you take an extra day off on the Friday prior you can get yourself a longer weekend and two shorter work weeks!

June Public Holiday dates

• Monday, June 3 (Western Australia Day, WA)
• Monday, June 10 (King’s Birthday, ACT, NSW, SA, NT, TAS, VIC)

Most of Australia will get a day off for the King’s Birthday in June, although select states choose to celebrate this day later in the year.

August Public Holidays

• Monday, August 5 (Picnic Day, NT)
• Wednesday, August 14 (Royal Queensland Show Day, Brisbane)

For those in Queensland, the Royal Queensland Show Day always falls on a Wednesday, offering the chance for a 5-day break if you take the days off on either side of that holiday.

Public holidays in October

• Monday, October 7 (Labour Day, ACT, NSW, SA)
• Monday, October 7 (King’s Birthday, QLD)

October offers the King’s Birthday and Labour Day holidays for any states who are yet to take them in the year. If you want to take an extra day or two of leave to take advantage of the annual holidays around this time, now is your chance.

Public holidays in November

• Monday, November 4 (Recreation Day, certain parts of TAS)
• Tuesday, November 5 (Melbourne Cup Day, VIC)

Tasmania and Victoria are the only ones to get public holidays in November, which can make for a much-needed late-year break.

Christmas public holiday dates December 2024

• Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
• Thursday, December 26 (Boxing Day)

It might seems ages away, but in December we’ll once again reach the Christmas public holidays. Looking ahead, taking the three days around Christmas and Boxing Day will get you a 9-day break. Add to that the Monday before the New Year’s holiday on Tuesday, January 1 and you can get a 12 day break for just 4 days of annual leave.

These are all the public holiday dates for next year, so get your leave in now for the year ahead before your co-workers jump on it!