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How to maximise your annual leave in 2026

Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
Because we all deserve some well-earned time off.

There’s always that one colleague who is organised enough to book their leave to align with the state’s holidays, leaving the rest of the office envious of their lovely two-week break where minimal leave was used.

For this very reason, we’re writing this article now to ensure you don’t miss out next year and that you capitalise on leave maximisation – the art of strategically using your annual leave days around weekends and public holidays to give you the longest break possible.

A car crossing a bridge in a rainforest
Savvy travellers use annual leave days around weekends and public holidays to stretch out their break. (Image: Tourism Australia)

An analysis by Corporate Traveller shows Western Australians can score the most time off with minimal leave used, stretching 31 days of annual leave into a whopping 71 days off.

Tom Walley, global managing director of Corporate Traveller, says thoughtful timing will pay off tenfold in 2026. “Public holidays in 2026 are well spaced for extended getaways. By locking in leave requests now, employees can secure the best fares and accommodation, and employers can plan resourcing well in advance. Everybody wins."

Let’s take a look…

Victoria

Two people in a hot springs in the Mornington Peninsula
Spend your leave relaxing in hot springs in the Mornington Peninsula. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Victorians can nab up to 60 days off by using 20 days of annual leave with 13 public holidays and weekends. The best time to take advantage is over the Christmas/New Year period where you could get 16 days off in a row by using seven days of leave, or over Easter when you can get 16 days off by taking eight days of leave.

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Queensland

Savvy Queenslanders can lock in 58 days off by using 25 days of leave alongside 12 public holidays and weekends. Using seven days of annual leave results in 16 days off in a row over Christmas/New Year’s. And four days of annual leave scores you 10 consecutive days off over Easter. The other option is to use four days of annual leave around Ekka Day in August to get 10 days off in a row.

Western Australia

A boat at Rottnest Island
Spend relaxing days on Rottnest Island. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Western Australians due for an extended holiday (hello Euro summer) can lock in an incredible 71 days off by using 31 days of leave alongside 11 state-wide public holidays and weekends. Taking seven days of annual leave around the Christmas/New Year period offers 16 consecutive days off. Or by using four days of annual leave around Easter, you can get 10 days off in a row – a fantastic time to head north to swim with whale sharks.

South Australia

South Australians who smartly plan ahead are up for to 62 days off when using 27 annual leave days, thanks to 13 public holidays. For a solid break, you can use four days of annual leave for 10 days off in a row over Easter. Or by using seven days of annual leave for 16 consecutive days off. over Christmas/New Years.

Tasmania

Tasmanians can get 50 days off by using 19 days of annual leave, thanks to 11 official state-wide public holidays, plus either Royal Hobart Regatta Day in the south or Recreation Day in the rest of the state, along with an extra day off for public servants (7 April). You can get up to 16 days off by using seven annual leave days over the Christmas/New Year period or up to 11 days off by using four days of leave (or five with Easter Tuesday) over the Easter period.

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New South Wales

People entering the water at a beach at Byron Bay
Byron Bay is one of the most popular NSW towns to spend summer at. (Tourism Australia)

NSW has 11 state-wide public holidays. By using 23 leave days over Christmas/New Year, employees can lock in 53 consecutive days off if they use 23 leave days. You could also treat yourself a 10-day break by using just four days of your annual leave around the Easter break, from Saturday 28 March to Monday 6 April.

Australian Capital Territory

If you’re in the ACT, 55 days off could be on the cards if you take 23 days of annual leave, thanks to 13 public holidays, including two extra long weekends (Canberra Day, Monday 9 March, and Reconciliation Day, Monday 1 June). To maximise leave, use seven days of annual leave for 16 days off over Christmas/New Year. And four days of leave over Easter gives you 10 days off in total. 

Northern Territory

Two people walking around the Bungle Bungle Range is located in the Purnululu National Park.
Western Australians can get the most time off with minimal leave used. (Image: Tourism Australia)

50 days off are available to the Top End crowd if they take 19 days of annual leave, thanks to 11 official public holidays in 2026. Using seven days of annual leave over Christmas/New Year  results in 16 consecutive days off, while using four days of annual leave over Easter will give you a 10-day break.

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Rachael Thompson
Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and Hotel Addict. She's responsible for the foundational content on AustralianTraveller.com, helping to manage and grow the brand’s destination guides. With a background in design and travel media, Rachael is dedicated to curating content that is as much informational as it is beautiful. She began her career at Belle magazine, before taking up editorial roles at Homes to Love and Bed Threads. When she's not writing, editing or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list is Lord Howe Island.
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The best trails and natural moments around Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges

    Gemma Kaczerepa Gemma Kaczerepa
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    The Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges boast some of Victoria’s most stunning natural scenery, making them a prime destination for outdoor experiences.

    There’s something very special about the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. A mix of rugged bush, mist-laden rainforest, gardens bursting with vivid blooms and a network of rivers and waterfalls, the landscapes here are layered and diverse. Late summer is a particularly good time to visit, when the days are long and the region’s outdoor offerings are ripe for sun-soaked adventures.

    The best part? Despite being only an easy one-hour drive from Melbourne, the area feels a world away from the hustle. You’ll be greeted by a slower pace with fewer travellers and more room to move – allowing you to truly switch off and take it all in.

    From rail trails to rainforest walks, this is where you’ll find nature at its most rewarding.

    1. Warburton

    Biking around Warburton is one best natural experiences in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.
    Hit the trails at Warburton Mountain Bike Destination. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Perched at the top of the Yarra River, surrounded by pristine national park, the town of Warburton is a haven for nature lovers. It’s known for its towering redwoods, found in the Californian Redwood Forest just 15 minutes out of town. You’ll be in utter awe of these giant trees, some of which reach heights of up to 55 metres.

    The Warburton Rail Trail is another way to experience the town’s natural beauty. This flat, 40-kilometre route goes all the way to Lilydale and is ideal for a stroll or cycle past native bushland, wineries, farmland and parts of the Yarra.

    If you want to up the pace a little, head to the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination, which encompasses 160 kilometres of purpose-built tracks amid wild bush terrain. For something a little more laid-back, the Rainforest Gallery is a standout spot for a wander. The gallery features statuesque Mountain Ash and Myrtle Beech trees, moss-covered logs and tree ferns, and a 40-metre elevated walkway that brings you right into the centre of the forest canopy.

    2. Yarra Glen

    Yarra Glen is a beloved food and drink destination, but it offers far more than excellent produce and top-notch wines.

    A highlight is Alowyn Gardens, which stretches over seven acres. Inside, you’ll find nine different gardens with vivid floral and seasonal displays, plus a nursery featuring exotic plant species. The Wisteria Arbour is a crowd favourite, a curved walkway connecting the different gardens with a display of cascading lilac blooms.

    Intersecting with the Warburton Rail Trail, the first stage of the Yarra Valley Trail runs from the gateway town of Lilydale to Yering Station. A more manageable track of just 7.5 kilometres, it takes you through rolling farmland and pockets of native bush, with ample opportunities for wildlife-spotting.

    If you’re travelling with kids, McKenzie Reserve is a non-negotiable stop. The reserve encompasses a skate park, plenty of open grass to stretch little legs, and a nature-inspired adventure playground to suit every age and every energy level.

    3. Healesville

    One of the best natural experiences in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges is seeing a Koala upclose.
    Get up close and connect with koalas. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Healesville is the region’s best place to meet local wildlife. It’s home to Healesville Sanctuary, where you can get up close to kangaroos, koalas, emus, dingoes, reptiles and more. Beyond giving you front-row access to these gorgeous creatures, you’ll appreciate the scenic charm of the tracks and trails that meander through the wildlife park.

    To see even more birdlife, head over to Badger Weir for a picnic. Situated among soaring Mountain Ash trees and tranquil waterways, the area supports several bird species, including crimson rosellas, Australian king parrots and the elusive lyrebird. Barbecue facilities are available, and several tracks leading to Badger Weir are pram-friendly.

    Fernshaw Picnic Area, located in the Yarra Ranges National Park, is another idyllic setting for picnicking and short walks, also encircled by Mountain Ash trees. Compared to Badger Weir, though, Fernshaw provides a slightly more secluded experience, making it ideal for quieter outings.

    4. Olinda

    Cloudehill Gardens is a beautifully curated, year-round garden destination featuring nine terraced gardens filled with seasonal blooms and lush plant varieties.
    Wander through terraces of ever-changing blooms. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Sitting more than 600 metres above sea level, the Dandenong Ranges have an enchanted feel and are shrouded in lush rainforest filled with tree ferns, mossy trunks and lingering mist.

    The town of Olinda is one of the finest places to experience this unique environment in all its verdant glory. At the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens, rhododendrons reign and drape the gardens in a riot of colour every spring.

    The nearby Cloudehill Gardens are well worth visiting any time of year. In each of the garden’s nine terraces, you’ll find an array of plant varieties that bloom and transform across the seasons, including weeping Japanese maples that have been growing here for nearly a century.

    Besides being a haven for arbory enthusiasts, the nearby RJ Hamer Arboretum is a spectacular spot to enjoy panoramic views. Here, more than 150 tree species grow and overlook the neighbouring Yarra Valley and Great Dividing Range.

    5. Emerald

    A lady eating with the view of Emerald Lake Park.
    Enjoy a lakeside picnic at Emerald Lake Park. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Set just behind the Dandenong Ranges, the foothills town of Emerald has a slightly more open feel, featuring rolling hills and open bushland. The town sits on the edge of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, with a patchwork of forested reserves and accessible bush trails on the Emerald side.

    You can also take to the water at nearby Aura Vale Lake, which is popular for sailing, canoeing, fishing for eel and perch, and picnicking on the grassy banks.

    The stand-out, though, is Emerald Lake Park, a sprawling green with multiple recreation zones. Across 52 hectares, there are walking tracks, playgrounds, paddleboats, a model railway, fishing sites and a family-friendly wading pool that comes to life every summer. The park also lies adjacent to the iconic Puffing Billy, making it a perfect stop if you’re travelling on the historic steam train.

    Start planning your next adventure at visityarravalley.com.au