4 days off for 1 day of annual leave
Long weekends 2028 in the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory has 13 public holidays in 2028, and 10 of them land on a weekday. Book 1 day of annual leave for 22 to 25 April and you are off for 4 days straight. The longest break with up to 10 days of annual leave: 10 days, 25 December 2027 to 3 January 2028, for 3 days of annual leave.
- Bank holidays 2028
- 13
- on weekdays
- 10
- bridge days
- 1
- off for 3 days of annual leave
- 10 days
The Northern Territory in 2028 at a glance
The Northern Territory has 13 public holidays in 2028, 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 Commons3 public holidays fall on a weekend. That places the Northern Territory at number 2 of the 5 states and territories, against an average of 12.2. 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 (7 July, Alice Springs show-day region only), Tennant Creek Show Day (14 July, Tennant Creek show-day region only), Katherine Show Day (21 July, Katherine show-day region only), Darwin Show Day (28 July, Darwin show-day region only), Borroloola Show Day (11 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 CommonsAll public holidays 2028 in the Northern Territory, one by one
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- Saturday 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. It falls on a Saturday, so the Northern Territory adds New Year's Day (additional) on Monday 3 January instead.
- Monday 3 January: New Year's 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. That makes 3 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 3 January.
- Wednesday 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 24 January and Tuesday 25 January off and you have 5 days in a row, 22 to 26 January.
- Friday 14 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, 14 to 17 April.
- Saturday 15 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 2028.
- Sunday 16 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 2028.
- Monday 17 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, 14 to 17 April.
- Tuesday 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. Take Monday 24 April off and you have 4 days in a row, 22 to 25 April.
- Monday 1 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, 29 April to 1 May.
- Monday 12 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, 10 to 12 June.
- Monday 7 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, 5 to 7 August.
- Monday 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, 23 to 26 December.
- Tuesday 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. You get 4 free days in a row, 23 to 26 December, with no leave needed.
AustraliaiPhoto: DXR · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSydneyiPhoto: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The best breaks in 2028, 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 Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Christmas Day (additional), Boxing Day (additional), New Year's Day and New Year's Day (additional), 3 days of annual leave on Wed 29 December, Thu 30 December and Fri 31 December unlock 10 days away, 25 December 2027 to 3 January 2028.
22 to 26 January: 2 days of annual leave (24 January and 25 January) around Australia Day give 5 days off, 2.5 days for every day used.
Around Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, 4 days of annual leave on Mon 10 April, Tue 11 April, Wed 12 April and Thu 13 April unlock 10 days away, 8 to 17 April.
Around Anzac Day, 1 day of annual leave on Mon 24 April unlocks 4 days away, 22 to 25 April.
29 April to 7 May: 4 days of annual leave (2 to 5 May) around May Day give 9 days off, 2.3 days for every day used.
23 to 31 December: 3 days of annual leave (27 to 29 December) around Christmas Day and Boxing Day give 9 days off, 3.0 days for every day used.
The best breaks 2028 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 25 Dec to Mon, 3 Jan | 10 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.33 days off per day of leave | Wed, 29 Dec · Thu, 30 Dec · Fri, 31 Dec | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Christmas Day (additional), Boxing Day (additional), New Year's Day, New Year's Day (additional) | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 22 Jan to Wed, 26 Jan | 5 days offfor 2 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, 24 Jan · Tue, 25 Jan | Australia Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 8 Apr to Mon, 17 Apr | 10 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, 10 Apr · Tue, 11 Apr · Wed, 12 Apr · Thu, 13 Apr | Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 22 Apr to Tue, 25 Apr | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Mon, 24 Apr | Anzac Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 29 Apr to Sun, 7 May | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, 2 May · Wed, 3 May · Thu, 4 May · Fri, 5 May | May Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 10 June to Sun, 18 June | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, 13 June · Wed, 14 June · Thu, 15 June · Fri, 16 June | King's Birthday | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 5 Aug to Sun, 13 Aug | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, 8 Aug · Wed, 9 Aug · Thu, 10 Aug · Fri, 11 Aug | Picnic Day | none | Plan the trip |
| Sat, 23 Dec to Sun, 31 Dec | 9 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3 days off per day of leave | Wed, 27 Dec · Thu, 28 Dec · Fri, 29 Dec | Christmas Day, Boxing Day | none | Plan the trip |
What 1 to 10 days of annual leave bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2028.
1 day of annual leave
4 days
22 April to 25 April
Anzac Day
2 days of annual leave
5 days
22 January to 26 January
Australia Day
3 days of annual leave
9 days
23 December to 31 December
Christmas Day, Boxing Day
4 days of annual leave
10 days
8 April to 17 April
Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday
5 days of annual leave
12 days
14 April to 25 April
Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day
8 days of annual leave
18 days
14 April to 1 May
Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, May Day
2028 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, 22 to 25 April. Three days stretch to 9 days off (23 to 31 December). Five days, a typical week, become 12 days off around Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day, 14 to 25 April.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, 14 April to 1 May. 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 2028
Summer: New Year's Day on 1 January, New Year's Day (additional) on 3 January, Australia Day on 26 January, Christmas Day on 25 December and Boxing Day on 26 December. The pick of the season is 25 December 2027 to 3 January 2028 with 3 days of annual leave for 10 days off.
Autumn: Good Friday on 14 April, Easter Saturday on 15 April, Easter Sunday on 16 April, Easter Monday on 17 April, Anzac Day on 25 April and May Day on 1 May. The pick of the season is 22 to 25 April with 1 day of annual leave for 4 days off.
Winter: King's Birthday on 12 June and Picnic Day on 7 August. The pick of the season is 10 to 18 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.
How the Northern Territory stacks up
The Australian Capital Territory has the most with 14 public holidays in 2028, 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, 22 to 25 April, 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 2028 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.
22 April to 25 April: 1 day of leave, 4 days off
Short flight 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
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
23 December to 31 December: 3 days of leave, 9 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
8 April to 17 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
22 January to 26 January: 2 days of leave, 5 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
29 April to 7 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
Public holidays 2028 in the Northern Territory
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Saturday | New Year's Day | statewide |
| 3 January | Monday | New Year's Day (additional) | statewide |
| 26 January | Wednesday | Australia Day | statewide |
| 14 April | Friday | Good Friday | statewide |
| 15 April | Saturday | Easter Saturday | statewide |
| 16 April | Sunday | Easter Sunday | statewide |
| 17 April | Monday | Easter Monday | statewide |
| 25 April | Tuesday | Anzac Day | statewide |
| 1 May | Monday | May Day | statewide |
| 12 June | Monday | King's Birthday | statewide |
| 7 July | Friday | Alice Springs Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 14 July | Friday | Tennant Creek Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 21 July | Friday | Katherine Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 28 July | Friday | Darwin Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 7 August | Monday | Picnic Day | statewide |
| 11 August | Friday | Borroloola Show Day | Northern Territory |
| 24 December | Sunday | Christmas Eve (7pm-midnight) | Northern Territory |
| 25 December | Monday | Christmas Day | statewide |
| 26 December | Tuesday | Boxing Day | statewide |
| 31 December | Sunday | 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 December, January and April, 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
2026 and 2027 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 2028 in NT: frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does the Northern Territory have in 2028?
13 public holidays: New Year's Day on 1 January, New Year's Day (additional) on 3 January, Australia Day on 26 January, Good Friday on 14 April, Easter Saturday on 15 April, Easter Sunday on 16 April, Easter Monday on 17 April, Anzac Day on 25 April, May Day on 1 May, King's Birthday on 12 June, Picnic Day on 7 August, Christmas Day on 25 December and Boxing Day on 26 December. 10 fall on a weekday.
What is the best long weekend in the Northern Territory in 2028?
22 to 25 April: 1 day of annual leave gives 4 days off around Anzac Day.
How many days of annual leave do I need for nine days off in 2028?
3 days of annual leave: take 27 to 29 December off and you are off 23 to 31 December.
Is Easter Saturday a public holiday in the Northern Territory in 2028?
Yes. Easter Saturday is a full day off on Saturday 15 April.
Is the King's Birthday a public holiday in the Northern Territory in 2028?
Yes. King's Birthday is a full day off on Monday 12 June.
2028 in the other states and territories
- Australian Capital Territory
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
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.
