Long weekends 2027 in South Australia

Every public holiday in South Australia in 2027

Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer break.

SydneyiPhoto: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

AdelaideiPhoto: Yu Chu Chin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

• Friday 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. You get 3 free days in a row, 1 to 3 January, with no leave needed.
• Tuesday 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. Take Monday 25 January off and you have 4 days in a row, 23 to 26 January.
• Monday 8 March: Adelaide Cup Day. Adelaide Cup Day is South Australia's March horse racing holiday. Racegoers head to Morphettville, and many locals use the long weekend for the Fringe and the coast. You get 3 free days in a row, 6 to 8 March, with no leave needed.
• Friday 26 March: 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. You get 4 free days in a row, 26 to 29 March, with no leave needed.
• Saturday 27 March: 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 South Australia's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2027.
• Sunday 28 March: 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 South Australia's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2027.
• Monday 29 March: 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. You get 4 free days in a row, 26 to 29 March, with no leave needed.
• Sunday 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 Sunday, and South Australia's list has no weekday in lieu for it in 2027.
• Monday 14 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. You get 3 free days in a row, 12 to 14 June, with no leave needed.
• Monday 4 October: Labour 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. You get 3 free days in a row, 2 to 4 October, with no leave needed.
• Saturday 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. It falls on a Saturday, so South Australia adds Christmas Day (additional) on Monday 27 December instead.
• Sunday 26 December: Proclamation Day holiday and Boxing Day. South Australia marks Proclamation Day, the founding of the colony, together with Boxing Day after Christmas. The days off make the summer break around the new year longer. It falls on a Sunday, so South Australia adds Christmas Day (additional) on Monday 27 December instead.
• Monday 27 December: Christmas Day (additional). 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. You get 4 free days in a row, 25 to 28 December, with no leave needed.
• Tuesday 28 December: Proclamation Day (additional). Proclamation Day marks the founding of the colony of South Australia in 1836. The holiday falls after Christmas, extending the summer break around the new year. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 25 to 28 December.

The maths: days of annual leave in, days off out

With 1 day of annual leave the longest run you can build is 4 days, 23 to 26 January. Three days stretch to 10 days off (25 December 2027 to 3 January 2028). Five days, a typical week, become 11 days off around Christmas Day, Proclamation Day holiday and Boxing Day, Christmas Day (additional) and Proclamation Day (additional), 18 to 28 December.

Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, 11 to 28 December. 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.

How South Australia stacks up

The Australian Capital Territory has the most with 16 public holidays in 2027, Tasmania the fewest with 10. South Australia sits in between with 14.

TasmaniaiPhoto: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Its best break, 23 to 26 January, returns 4.0 days off per day of leave. No other state or territory in our data does better this year.

South Australia in other years

2026 and 2028 are planned as well, each with its own dates and breaks.

iPhoto: JamesAviation · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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.