The calendar year is wrapping up, which means now is the perfect time to map out next year’s getaways. Planning your annual leave early is the key to maximising your time away, and with that in mind, we’ve mapped out a definitive guide to the official 2026 public holidays for residents across New South Wales. 2026 is shaping up to be a particularly generous year for time off, with 12 days off and five fantastic opportunities for extended breaks, with minimal days off. Whether you’re keen for an overseas trip, a local coastal getaway or just need some downtime, here is a list of public holidays to get you started.
Public holidays Sydney 2026
- New Year’s Day — Thursday, 1 January
- Australia Day — Monday, 26 January
- Good Friday — Friday, 3 April
- Easter Saturday — Saturday, 4 April
- Easter Sunday — Sunday, 5 April
- Easter Monday — Monday, 6 April
- Anzac Day — Saturday, 25 April
- King’s Birthday — Monday, 8 June
- Labour Day — Monday, 5 October
- Christmas Day — Friday, 25 December
- Boxing Day — Saturday, 26 December
- Additional Public Holiday — Monday, 28 December
The state’s first guaranteed three-day break arrives on Monday, January 26, for Australia Day. The next major break is the Easter long weekend in April, running from Good Friday on the 3rd through Easter Monday on the 6th, the ideal four-day window to plan a mini getaway. Anzac Day falls on Saturday, April 25 this year which does not mean a substitute public holiday in NSW.
Two automatic three-day weekends will follow as we move into winter and spring: King’s Birthday on Monday, June 8, and Labour Day on Monday, October 5. The end-of-year period is especially generous, and worth planning your leave around, with Christmas on a Friday and an additional public holiday on the following Monday.
Ready to leverage these five long weekend in 2026? We’ve put together a few guides for you to choose from in NSW, from gorgeous coastal escapes to fairytale-like small towns and quiet country getaways.