4 days off for 1 day of annual leave
Long weekends 2026 in the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory has 13 public holidays in 2026, and 9 of them land on a weekday. The smartest move: take 1 day of annual leave and get 4 days off, 1 to 4 January. The longest break with up to 10 days of annual leave: 10 days, 25 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, for 3 days of annual leave.
- Bank holidays 2026
- 13
- on weekdays
- 9
- bridge days
- 1
- off for 3 days of annual leave
- 10 days
How 2026 works in the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory has 13 public holidays in 2026, from the state government's official list. With four weeks of annual leave as the national standard, the long weekends below show where a day or two of leave buys the most time away.
Alice SpringsiPhoto: Anton Faymann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
DarwiniPhoto: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons4 public holidays fall on a weekend. That places the Northern Territory at number 4 of the 8 states and territories, against an average of 12.8. Remember the seasons: summer runs from December to February here, so the Christmas and New Year break is the big beach holiday.
7 more days appear on the official list without counting here: Alice Springs Show Day (3 July, Alice Springs show-day region only), Tennant Creek Show Day (10 July, Tennant Creek show-day region only), Katherine Show Day (17 July, Katherine show-day region only), Darwin Show Day (24 July, Darwin show-day region only), Borroloola Show Day (14 August, Borroloola show-day region only) and Christmas Eve (7pm-midnight) (24 December, not a day off for most workers). The planner leaves them out so every break works for everyone in the Northern Territory.
Alice SpringsiPhoto: Anton Faymann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDarwiniPhoto: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPublic holidays 2026 in the Northern Territory and what each one gives you
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer break.
AustraliaiPhoto: DXR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
SydneyiPhoto: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons- Thursday 1 January: New Year's Day. New Year's Day follows the fireworks over Sydney Harbour and other cities. It falls in the middle of summer holidays, peak time for the beach and camping. Take Friday 2 January off and you have 4 days in a row, 1 to 4 January.
- Monday 26 January: Australia Day. Australia Day on 26 January marks the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 and is a day of barbecues, beach days and citizenship ceremonies, as well as reflection for many First Nations people. It falls in the middle of summer holidays. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 24 to 26 January.
- Friday 3 April: Good Friday. Good Friday opens the Easter long weekend, when most shops close. Easter often overlaps with autumn school holidays, so it is one of the busiest travel times of the year. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 3 to 6 April.
- Saturday 4 April: Easter Saturday. Easter Saturday, the day after Good Friday, is a public holiday in several states and territories. Most shops open with reduced hours as families start the long Easter weekend. It falls on a Saturday, and the Northern Territory's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Sunday 5 April: Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is a public holiday in some states and territories. Families gather for egg hunts and long lunches in the middle of the four day Easter weekend. It falls on a Sunday, and the Northern Territory's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Monday 6 April: Easter Monday. Easter Monday closes the four day Easter weekend across Australia. Roads back from the coast and the bush are at their busiest in the afternoon. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 3 to 6 April.
- Saturday 25 April: Anzac Day. Anzac Day on 25 April remembers Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in war. Dawn services and marches come first, followed by two up games in pubs in the afternoon. It falls on a Saturday, and the Northern Territory's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Monday 4 May: May Day. Labour Day honours the labour movement and the eight hour day. Its date differs between states and territories, from March to October, and it always creates a long weekend. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 2 to 4 May.
- Monday 8 June: King's Birthday. The King's Birthday gives a long weekend in June in most states, and later in the year in Queensland and Western Australia. In June it marks the start of the ski season. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 6 to 8 June.
- Monday 3 August: Picnic Day. Picnic Day on the first Monday of August is a Northern Territory tradition dating back to railway workers' picnics. The Harbour to Harbour race at Darwin and the dry season weather make it a great long weekend. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 3 August.
- Friday 25 December: Christmas Day. Christmas in Australia lands in summer: lunches outdoors, seafood and beach days. It opens the long summer school holidays, the peak season for coastal stays. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 25 to 28 December.
- Saturday 26 December: Boxing Day. Boxing Day brings the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the Boxing Day cricket test in Melbourne and post Christmas sales, in the middle of the summer holidays. It falls on a Saturday, and the Northern Territory's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2026.
- Monday 28 December: Boxing Day Monday. An extra public holiday given when the holiday itself falls on a weekend. Workers get the weekday off instead, so the long weekend still happens. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 25 to 28 December.
AustraliaiPhoto: DXR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSydneyiPhoto: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The best breaks in 2026, explained
Each break below starts and ends on a free day, contains at least one public holiday, and needs no more than 10 days of annual leave. They are ranked by how many days off each day of leave brings.
Around New Year's Day, 1 day of annual leave on Fri 2 January unlocks 4 days away, 1 to 4 January.
24 January to 1 February: 4 days of annual leave (27 to 30 January) around Australia Day give 9 days off, 2.3 days for every day used.
Around Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, 4 days of annual leave on Mon 30 March, Tue 31 March, Wed 1 April and Thu 2 April unlock 10 days away, 28 March to 6 April.
2 to 10 May: 4 days of annual leave (5 to 8 May) around May Day give 9 days off, 2.3 days for every day used.
6 to 14 June: 4 days of annual leave (9 to 12 June) around King's Birthday give 9 days off, 2.3 days for every day used.
Around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Boxing Day Monday and New Year's Day, 3 days of annual leave on Tue 29 December, Wed 30 December and Thu 31 December unlock 10 days away, 25 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
The best breaks 2026 in the Northern Territory
Every row is a run of weekends, public holidays and days of annual leave. The highlighted row brings the most days off per day of leave.
| Dates | Result | Leave on | Bank holidays | School holidays | Plan the trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, 1 Jan to Sun, 4 Jan | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Fri, 2 Jan | New Year's Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 24 Jan to Sun, 1 Feb | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, 27 Jan · Wed, 28 Jan · Thu, 29 Jan · Fri, 30 Jan | Australia Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 28 Mar to Mon, 6 Apr | 10 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, 30 Mar · Tue, 31 Mar · Wed, 1 Apr · Thu, 2 Apr | Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 18 Apr to Sun, 26 Apr | 9 days offfor 5 days of annual leave, 1.8 days off per day of leave | Mon, 20 Apr · Tue, 21 Apr · Wed, 22 Apr · Thu, 23 Apr · Fri, 24 Apr | Anzac Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 2 May to Sun, 10 May | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, 5 May · Wed, 6 May · Thu, 7 May · Fri, 8 May | May Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 6 June to Sun, 14 June | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, 9 June · Wed, 10 June · Thu, 11 June · Fri, 12 June | King's Birthday | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 1 Aug to Sun, 9 Aug | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, 4 Aug · Wed, 5 Aug · Thu, 6 Aug · Fri, 7 Aug | Picnic Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Fri, 25 Dec to Sun, 3 Jan | 10 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.33 days off per day of leave | Tue, 29 Dec · Wed, 30 Dec · Thu, 31 Dec | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Boxing Day Monday, New Year's Day | none | Plan the trip |
What 1 to 10 days of annual leave bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2026.
1 day of annual leave
4 days
1 January to 4 January
New Year's Day
3 days of annual leave
10 days
25 December to 3 January
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Boxing Day Monday, New Year's Day
8 days of annual leave
17 days
25 December to 10 January
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Boxing Day Monday, New Year's Day
2026 calendar for the Northern Territory
- Bank holiday
- Leave day in a long weekend
- Weekend
- School holidays
- regional holiday
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
What 1 to 10 days of annual leave get you
With 1 day of annual leave the longest run you can build is 4 days, 1 to 4 January. Three days stretch to 10 days off (25 December 2026 to 3 January 2027). Five days, a typical week, become 10 days off around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Boxing Day Monday and New Year's Day, 25 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 17 days in a row, 25 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. For nine days or more away you need 3 days of annual leave.
Four weeks of annual leave is twenty working days. Two days at Easter and three over Christmas and New Year still leave three full weeks for a big trip.
When the public holidays fall in 2026
Summer: New Year's Day on 1 January, Australia Day on 26 January, Christmas Day on 25 December, Boxing Day on 26 December and Boxing Day Monday on 28 December. The pick of the season is 1 to 4 January with 1 day of annual leave for 4 days off.
Autumn: Good Friday on 3 April, Easter Saturday on 4 April, Easter Sunday on 5 April, Easter Monday on 6 April, Anzac Day on 25 April and May Day on 4 May. The pick of the season is 28 March to 6 April with 4 days of annual leave for 10 days off.
Winter: King's Birthday on 8 June and Picnic Day on 3 August. The pick of the season is 6 to 14 June with 4 days of annual leave for 9 days off.
Spring has no public holiday in the Northern Territory this year, which makes it the time to use a full week of annual leave for a longer trip.
The Northern Territory compared with other states and territories
The Australian Capital Territory has the most with 15 public holidays in 2026, Tasmania the fewest with 9. The Northern Territory sits in between with 13.
TasmaniaiPhoto: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIts best break, 1 to 4 January, returns 4.0 days off per day of leave. No other state or territory in our data does better this year.
TasmaniaiPhoto: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Long Weekend Planner 2026 for Northern Territory as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in NT on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Where to on the long weekends?
For the six strongest stretches: places with the right climate that month, flights from DRW.
1 January to 4 January: 1 day of leave, 4 days off
Short flight in January, flights from DRW
iPhoto: Photograph by Doug Barber · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAdelaide30 °C by day · Sea 21 °C · Flight about 1 h 57, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Adelaide
25 December to 3 January: 3 days of leave, 10 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from DRW
- iPhoto: Photograph by Doug Barber · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAdelaide28 °C by day · Sea 20 °C · Flight about 1 h 57, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Adelaide
New Caledonia29 °C by day · Sea 27 °C · Flight about 2 h 52Plan a trip for these daysSee New Caledonia
iPhoto: ChewyPineapple · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAuckland22 °C by day · Sea 19 °C · Flight about 3 h 05, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Auckland
28 March to 6 April: 4 days of leave, 10 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in April, flights from DRW
- iPhoto: Photograph by Doug Barber · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAdelaide22 °C by day · Sea 19 °C · Flight about 1 h 57, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Adelaide
- New Caledonia27 °C by day · Sea 27 °C · Flight about 2 h 52Plan a trip for these daysSee New Caledonia
- iPhoto: ChewyPineapple · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAuckland20 °C by day · Sea 19 °C · Flight about 3 h 05, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Auckland
24 January to 1 February: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in January, flights from DRW
- iPhoto: Photograph by Doug Barber · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAdelaide30 °C by day · Sea 21 °C · Flight about 1 h 57, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Adelaide
- New Caledonia29 °C by day · Sea 28 °C · Flight about 2 h 52Plan a trip for these daysSee New Caledonia
- iPhoto: ChewyPineapple · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAuckland23 °C by day · Sea 20 °C · Flight about 3 h 05, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Auckland
2 May to 10 May: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in May, flights from DRW
- New Caledonia25 °C by day · Sea 26 °C · Flight about 2 h 52Plan a trip for these daysSee New Caledonia
iPhoto: Chris Olszewski · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsBrisbane23 °C by day · Sea 23 °C · Flight about 1 h 29, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Brisbane
6 June to 14 June: 4 days of leave, 9 days off
Beach in June, flights from DRW
Phuket29 °C by day · Sea 30 °C · Flight about 8 h 52, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Phuket
iPhoto: jon hanson from London · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsKomodo Island28 °C by day · Sea 29 °C · Flight about 5 h 34Plan a trip for these daysSee Komodo Island
iPhoto: U.S. Department of Defense Current Photos · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsNorthern Mariana Islands29 °C by day · Sea 29 °C · Flight about 6 h 51Plan a trip for these daysSee Northern Mariana Islands
Public holidays 2026 in the Northern Territory
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year's Day | nationwide |
| 26 January | Monday | Australia Day | nationwide |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday | nationwide |
| 4 April | Saturday | Easter Saturday | statewide |
| 5 April | Sunday | Easter Sunday | statewide |
| 6 April | Monday | Easter Monday | nationwide |
| 25 April | Saturday | Anzac Day | statewide |
| 4 May | Monday | May Day | statewide |
| 8 June | Monday | King's Birthday | statewide |
| 3 July | Friday | Alice Springs Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 10 July | Friday | Tennant Creek Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 17 July | Friday | Katherine Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 24 July | Friday | Darwin Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 3 August | Monday | Picnic Day | statewide |
| 14 August | Friday | Borroloola Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 24 December | Thursday | Christmas Eve (7pm-midnight) | Northern Territory |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day | nationwide |
| 26 December | Saturday | Boxing Day | statewide |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day Monday | statewide |
| 31 December | Thursday | New Year's Eve (7pm-midnight) | Northern Territory |
Long weekend ideas from the Northern Territory
Territorians plan long weekends around the dry season, from May to October: Kakadu and Litchfield for waterfalls and wildlife, Katherine Gorge for canoeing, and Uluru and the Red Centre in the cooler months. The wet season suits Darwin's markets and storms.
Your strongest breaks this year fall in January, March and May, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in the Northern Territory has the same days off.
The Northern Territory in other years
2027 and 2028 are planned as well, each with its own dates and breaks.
Holiday dates move every year: fixed-date days change their weekday, and Easter moves between late March and late April, which is why the best breaks are never the same twice.
Where these dates come from
Every date on this page comes from the official source for the Northern Territory: NT Government: NT public and regional holidays, read directly and compared day by day with an independent second source. A year appears once its official list is published, and we never fill a gap with another state or territory's dates.
The planner treats weekends and full public holidays as free days and works out where your days of annual leave turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of the Northern Territory or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on 1 October 2026.
Long Weekend Planner 2026 in NT: frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does the Northern Territory have in 2026?
13 public holidays: New Year's Day on 1 January, Australia Day on 26 January, Good Friday on 3 April, Easter Saturday on 4 April, Easter Sunday on 5 April, Easter Monday on 6 April, Anzac Day on 25 April, May Day on 4 May, King's Birthday on 8 June, Picnic Day on 3 August, Christmas Day on 25 December, Boxing Day on 26 December and Boxing Day Monday on 28 December. 9 fall on a weekday.
What is the best long weekend in the Northern Territory in 2026?
1 to 4 January: 1 day of annual leave gives 4 days off around New Year's Day.
How many days of annual leave do I need for nine days off in 2026?
3 days of annual leave: take 29 to 31 December off and you are off 25 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Is Easter Saturday a public holiday in the Northern Territory in 2026?
Yes. Easter Saturday is a full day off on Saturday 4 April.
Is the King's Birthday a public holiday in the Northern Territory in 2026?
Yes. King's Birthday is a full day off on Monday 8 June.
2026 in the other states and territories
How the Long Weekend Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in NT, checked date by date. The planner counts only days off for the whole region.
Stretches: start and end on a day off, include at least one holiday and at most 10 days of annual leave. Ranked by days off per day of leave; Saturday and Sunday count as free.
School holidays: officially published dates only, checked every month. Trip ideas: the month's climate and flights from the region's main airport.
