Long weekends 2028 in Australia

How 2028 looks across Australia

Each state and territory has its own public holidays, from Labour Day dates that differ across the country to local show days. Pick yours for the long weekends, the leave that turns them into a week away, and the school holidays where the education department has published them.

iPhoto: Donaldytong · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

5 days are shared by every state or territory listed here: New Year's Day (additional) (Monday 3 January), Australia Day (Wednesday 26 January), Good Friday (Friday 14 April), Easter Monday (Monday 17 April) and Christmas Day (Monday 25 December).

Most and fewest public holidays in 2028

The Australian Capital Territory leads with 14, followed by the Northern Territory (13) and South Australia (13). At the other end, Tasmania has 9.

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

South AustraliaiPhoto: User:DXR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The most efficient break of the year belongs to the Australian Capital Territory: 22 to 25 April, 4.0 days off for every day of leave.

The days that differ by state or territory

Beyond the shared days, each state or territory keeps its own. These are the ones that decide whose long weekends are longer in 2028.

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

MelbourneiPhoto: DXR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

• New Year's Day, Saturday 1 January: the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia. 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.
• Canberra Day, Monday 13 March: the Australian Capital Territory. Canberra Day on the second Monday of March celebrates the naming of the national capital. The ACT celebrates with festivals and the long weekend suits a trip to the coast or the Snowy Mountains.
• Adelaide Cup Day, Monday 13 March: South Australia. 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.
• Eight Hours Day, Monday 13 March: Tasmania. Eight Hours Day, Tasmania's Labour Day, commemorates the fight for the eight hour working day. It falls in March, still warm enough for the east coast and the national parks.
• Easter Saturday, Saturday 15 April: the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and South Australia. 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.
• The day after Good Friday, Saturday 15 April: Queensland. 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.
• Easter Sunday, Sunday 16 April: the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia. 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.
• Anzac Day, Tuesday 25 April: the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and Queensland. 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.
• ANZAC Day, Tuesday 25 April: South Australia and Tasmania. 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.
• May Day, Monday 1 May: the Northern Territory. 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.
• Labour Day, Monday 1 May: Queensland. 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.
• Reconciliation Day, Monday 29 May: the Australian Capital Territory. Reconciliation Day in the ACT honours the relationship between First Nations and other Australians. It falls on or after 27 May, the anniversary of the 1967 referendum.
• King's Birthday, Monday 12 June: the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania. 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.
• Picnic Day, Monday 7 August: the Northern Territory. 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.
• Labour Day, Monday 2 October: the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. 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.
• King's Birthday, Monday 2 October: Queensland. 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.
• Boxing Day, Tuesday 26 December: the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Queensland and Tasmania. 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.
• Proclamation Day holiday, Tuesday 26 December: South Australia. 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.

Where these dates come from

Each state or territory page is built from that state or territory's own official list, read directly and checked against a second independent source. States and territories whose 2028 list is not out yet appear as soon as it is published; nothing is ever copied from a neighbour.

iPhoto: David Kernan · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The best breaks use weekends and full days off only, with up to ten days of annual leave, and are ranked by days off per day of leave.