How to maximise your annual leave in 2023

Back at work after the Christmas break and already dreaming of your next trip?

The good news is that full-time and part-time workers (depending on their hours) are entitled to 20 days of annual leave each year, but those looking to really maximise their time off can make use of the various public holidays scattered throughout the year to stretch their holidays even further.

So which dates are the optimum ones to take off? Here are some of the best options based on the most common public holidays.

January - Australia Day

• The trick: Take four days of annual leave to get a nine-day break
• Dates off: January 21 - January 30
• Where: Australia-wide

If you're looking to make the most of summer then the days surrounding the Australia Day public holiday (January 26) could provide a great option for a trip away. By taking January 23, 24, 25 and 27 as annual leave on top of Australia Day itself and the weekends on either side, you'll have nine days up your sleeve to head to the beach or jet off abroad.

March - Canberra Day, Adelaide Cup Day, Eight Hours Day and Labour Day

• The trick: Take four days of annual leave to get a nine-day break
• Dates off: March 11 - March 20
• Where: ACT, SA, TAS and VIC

In may come as a shock to those in some parts of the country, but March 13 is chocked full of public holidays, with Canberra Day (Australian Capital Territory), Adelaide Cup Day (South Australia), Eight Hours Day (Tasmania) and Labour Day (Victoria) all taking place on the same day.

That's good news if you live in one of those states and territories and you're looking for some time off, because by taking four days of annual leave on March 14, 15, 16 and 17 you'll be able to enjoy a nine-day holiday.

April - Easter (Short option)

• The trick: Take four days of annual leave to get a 10-day break
• Dates off: April 1 - April 11 or April 7 - April 17
• Where: Australia-wide

April is undoubtedly one of the best months for Australians to extract value out of their annual leave days thanks to the public holidays around Easter. There are a couple of options available though, depending on your desired length of trip, but let's start with the shortest one (though it isn't that short). If you're willing to take either April 3, 4, 5 and 6 or April 11, 12, 13 and 14 as annual leave, you'll be able to have a 10-day break when you take into account weekends and Good Friday and Easter Monday.

April - Easter (Medium option)

• The trick: Take eight days of annual leave to get a 16-day break
• Dates off: April 1 - 17
• Where: Australia-wide

The second option over the Easter period is to combine those two sets of dates to create a 16-day vacation, which is more than enough time to head abroad if you fancy. To get that block of 16 days off, you'll need to put in for eight days of annual leave on April 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 and 14.

April - Easter and Anzac Day (Long option)

• The trick: Take 17 days of annual leave to get a 30-day break
• Dates off: April 1 - May 1
• Where: Australia-wide

Got annual leave to burn and a desire to travel overseas? Well, April is certainly one of the best times to use your leave in order to get an entire month off. In order to lock in a vacation for 30 days during April, you'll need to take the following 17 days as annual leave: April 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26, 27 and 28. Those, together with five weekends plus Good Friday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day, add up to 30 days of time away.

April - Anzac Day

• The trick: Take four days of annual leave to get a nine-day break
• Dates off: April 22 - May 1
• Where: Australia-wide

Of course, not everyone is going to want to take a month-long break from work, but if you're looking for a shorter holiday at the end of April then the Anzac Day public holiday on April 25 offers up another potential nine-day stretch of time off for just four days of annual leave. To make it work, you'll need to book annual leave on April 24, 26, 27 and 28.

June - King/Queen's Birthday

• The trick: Take four days of annual leave to get a nine-day break
• Dates off: June 10 - June 19 
• Where: ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS, VIC*

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the states and territories haven't quite got on the same page when it comes to the name of the public holiday known, for decades, as the Queen's Birthday. In some areas it's now the King's Birthday, while in others it has remained unchanged. Either way, the fact is that the public holiday on Monday, June 12 could provide you with an opportunity to take another four days of annual leave (June 13, 14, 15 and 16) in order to score nine days off.

*Western Australians can do the same with their own King's Birthday public holiday in late September.

October - Labour Day and King's Birthday

• The trick: Take four days of annual leave to get a nine-day break
• Dates off: September 30 - October 9
• Where: ACT, Queensland, NSW and South Australia

Outside of Christmas and Boxing Day there are actually no nation-wide public holidays in the second half of the year. Having said that, residents in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland will all get October 2 off for either Labour Day or, in Queensland's case, its own King;s Birthday holiday. The annual leave hack is the same across the board here though, as you'll be able to enjoy a nine-day break if you take October 3, 4, 5 and 6 as annual leave.

December - Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day

• The trick: Take three days of annual leave to get a 10-day break
• Dates off: December 23 - January 2
• Where: Australia-wide

Yes, New Year's Day is technically in 2024, but it's worth lumping it in for workers looking to maximise their time off during the festive period at the end of 2023. Thanks to the three public holidays, taking just three days of annual leave on December 27, 28 and 29 can create a 10-day break. Alternatively, if you're craving a bit of extra time off, by taking seven days of annual leave on those December dates plus January 2, 3, 4 and 5, you'll be able to create a 16-day holiday for yourself.

Don't forget that this isn't an exhaustive list of Australian public holidays in 2023, because there are various holidays which are specific to each state and territory. So check out the Fair Work Ombudsman's' public holiday calendar for a full rundown of days and dates.

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