Public Holidays 2025
Public Holidays 2026

ACT Public Holidays 2025

Public Holiday

Day/Date 

New Year’s Day 

Wednesday, 1 January 

Australia Day 

Monday, 27 January* 

Canberra Day 

Monday, 10 March 

Good Friday 

Friday, 18 April

Easter Saturday

Saturday, 19 April 

Easter Sunday

Sunday, 20 April 

Easter Monday 

Monday, 21 April 

Anzac Day 

Friday, 25 April 

Reconciliation Day 

Monday, 2 June** 

King’s Birthday 

Monday, 9 June 

Labour Day 

Monday, 6 October 

Christmas Day 

Thursday, 25 December 

Boxing Day

Friday, 26 December

*Australia Day falls on Sunday 26 January but the public holiday is celebrated on Monday, 27 January. 
**Reconciliation Day falls on Tuesday 27 May but the public holiday is on Monday 2 June. 

ACT Public Holidays 2026

Public Holiday Day/Date
New Year’s Day Thursday, 1 January
Australia Day Monday, 26 January
Canberra Day Monday, 9 March
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
Reconciliation Day Monday, 1 June*
King’s Birthday Monday, 8 June
Labour Day Monday, 5 October
Christmas Day Friday, 25 December
Boxing Day Monday, 28 December**

* As 27 May (Reconciliation Day) does not fall on a Monday in 2026, the public holiday is observed on the following Monday.
** Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December but the public holiday is celebrated on Monday 28 December.

School Holidays 2025
School Holidays 2026

ACT School Holidays 2025

Term 1 Start Finish

School Holidays       

Saturday, 12 April 2025

Sunday, 27 April 2025           

Term 2 Start Finish

School Holidays

Saturday, 5 July 2025

Sunday, 20 July 2025

Term 3 Start Finish

School Holidays

Saturday, 27 September 2025

Sunday, 12 October 2025

Term 4 Start Finish

School Holidays

Wednesday, 19 December 2025

Sunday, February 1 2026

ACT School Holidays 2026

Term 1 Start Finish
School Holidays Friday, 3 April 2026 Monday, 20 April 2026
Term 2 Start Finish
School Holidays Saturday, 4 July 2026 Monday, 20 July 2026
Term 3 Start Finish
School Holidays Saturday, 26 September 2026 Monday, 12 October 2026
Term 4 Start Finish
School Holidays Saturday, 19 December 2026 Sunday, 31 January 2027 or Monday, 1 February 2027*

*New students start school on Monday, 1 February 2027 and continuing students return to school on Tuesday, 2 February 2027.

Leave Maximiser 2025
Leave Maximiser 2026

How to Maximise Your Work Leave in 2025

Take time away from work so you can enjoy more time off.

January - New Year's Day

Date 

Take Leave?

Public Holiday/Weekend 

Saturday, 21 December

No

Yes

Sunday, 22 December

No

Yes

Monday, 23 December 

Yes

No

Tuesday, 24 December 

Yes

No

Wednesday, 25 December 

No

Yes

Thursday, 26 December 

No

Yes

Friday, 27 December 

Yes

No

Saturday, 28 December

No

Yes

Sunday, 29 December 

No

Yes

Monday, 30 December 

Yes

No

Tuesday, 31 December 

Yes

No

Wednesday, 1 January 

No

Yes

Thursday, 2 January

Yes

No

Friday, 3 January

Yes

No

Saturday, 4 January 

No

Yes

Sunday, 5 January

No

Yes

Totals 

Days of annual leave: 7

Days off: 9

Total days off: 16

April - Easter Holidays and Anzac Day

Date 

Take Leave?

Public Holiday/Weekend 

Friday, 18 April  

No

Yes

Saturday, 19 April  

No

Yes

Sunday, 20 April 

No

Yes

Monday, 21 April 

No

Yes

Tuesday, 22 April 

Yes

No

Wednesday, 23 April

Yes

No

Thursday, 24 April

Yes

No

Friday, 25 April

No

Yes

Saturday, 26 April 

No

Yes

Sunday, 27 April 

No

Yes

Totals 

Days of annual leave: 3

Days off: 7

Total days off: 10

June - Reconciliation Day and King’s Birthday

Date 

Take Leave?

Public Holiday/Weekend 

Saturday, 31 May 

No

Yes

Sunday, 1 June

No

Yes

Monday, 2 June 

No

Yes

Tuesday, 3 June

Yes

No

Wednesday, 4 June

Yes

No

Thursday. 5 June

Yes

No

Friday, 6 June

Yes

No

Saturday, 7 June 

No

Yes

Sunday, 8 June

No

Yes

Monday, 9 June 

No

Yes

Totals 

Days of annual leave: 4

Days off: 6

Total days off: 10

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

Date 

Take Leave?

Public Holiday/Weekend 

Saturday, 20 December 

No

Yes

Sunday, 21 December

No

Yes

Monday, 22 December 

Yes

No

Tuesday, 23 December

Yes

No

Wednesday, 24 December 

Yes

No

Thursday, 25 December 

No

Yes

Friday, 26 December 

No

Yes

Saturday, 27 December 

No

Yes

Sunday, 28 December

No

Yes

Monday, 29 December 

Yes

No

Tuesday, 30 December

Yes

No

Wednesday, 31 December

Yes

No

Thursday, 1 January 

No

Yes

Friday, 2 January 

Yes

No

Saturday, 3 January 

No

Yes

Sunday, 4 January 

No

Yes

Totals 

Days of annual leave: 7

Days off: 9

Total days off: 16

How to Maximise Your Work Leave in 2026

Take time away from work so you can enjoy more time off.

December/January - New Years Day
Date Take Leave? Public Holiday/Weekend
Saturday, 20 December
Sunday, 21 December
Monday, 22 December
Tuesday, 23 December
Wednesday, 24 December
Thursday, 25 December
Friday, 26 December
Saturday, 27 December
Sunday, 28 December
Monday, 29 December
Tuesday, 30 December
Wednesday, 31 December
Thursday, 1 January
Friday, 2 January
Saturday, 3 January
Sunday, 4 January
Totals Days of annual leave: 7 Days off: 9
Total days off: 16
January - Australia Day
Date Take Leave? Public Holiday/Weekend
Friday, 23 January
Saturday, 24 January
Sunday, 25 January
Monday, 26 January
Tuesday, 27 January
Totals Days of annual leave: 2 Days off: 3
Total days off: 5
March/April - Easter Holidays
Date Take Leave? Public Holiday/Weekend
Friday, 3 April
Saturday, 4 April
Sunday, 5 April
Monday, 6 April
Tuesday, 7 April
Wednesday, 8 April
Thursday, 9 April
Friday, 10 April
Saturday, 11 April
Sunday, 12 April
Totals Days of annual leave: 4 Days off: 6
Total days off: 10
June - Reconciliation Day and King’s Birthday
Date Take Leave? Public Holiday/Weekend
Saturday, 30 May
Sunday, 31 May
Monday, 1 June
Tuesday, 2 June
Wednesday, 3 June
Thursday, 4 June
Friday. 5 June
Saturday, 6 June
Sunday, 7 June
Monday, 8 June
Totals Days of annual leave: 4 Days off: 6
Total days off: 10
December - Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day
Date Take Leave? Public Holiday/Weekend
Saturday, 19 December
Sunday, 20 December
Monday, 21 December
Tuesday, 22 December
Wednesday, 23 December
Thursday, 24 December
Friday, 25 December
Saturday, 26 December
Sunday, 27 December
Monday, 28 December
Tuesday, 29 December
Wednesday, 30 December
Thursday, 31 December
Friday, 1 January
Saturday, 2 January
Sunday, 3 January
Totals Days of annual leave: 7 Days off: 9
Total days off: 16

ACT Public Holidays in Detail

Canberra Day

The Australian Capital Territory celebrates the official naming of Canberra in 1913. Lady Denman, the wife of the Governor-General Lord Denman, was the one who named the territory in front of a crowd of 5,000 guests.

Reconciliation Day

In 2018, Canberra was the first city to celebrate the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum. The vote was successful, with 90% of Australians voting yes to allowing the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people and to include them in the national Census. The holiday celebrates and reflects on the success of the reconciliation process in Australia.

Disclaimer

Data from the sources referenced below from the latest available data as at May 2025. Auto & General Services Pty Ltd does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the data and accepts no liability whatsoever arising from or connected in any way to the use or reliance on this data.

References