How to TRIPLE your annual leave in 2023

Hands up if you want to nearly TRIPLE your annual leave in 2023? 

I’ve got you covered with all the month-by-month planning already done. Read on to find out which dates to request leave so you can maximise your time off. April and December are my top picks to double or triple your annual leave.

February (TAS only):

• TAS (not for everywhere in the state), The Royal Hobart Regatta falls on Monday 13 February. Take off from Saturday 11 to Monday 13 February. There is no need to take any annual leave days – unless you want nine days off. Request off from 11 to 19 February and you’ll only use four days of annual leave.

March (VIC, WA, SA, TAS & ACT only):

• WA, no annual leave days are needed for this long weekend. Saturday 4 to Monday 6 March is your Labour Day Long Weekend. But, you could always turn it into 9 days off if you take off until Sunday 12 March, and only use four annual leave days.

• VIC, TAS, SA & ACT, you’ve got Saturday 11 to Monday 13 March off for varying state holidays like Labour Day, Eight Hours Day, Adelaide Cup Day, and Canberra Day. To keep the good times rolling request from 11 to 19 March off for a nine-day holiday while only using four annual leave days.

April:

• Easter falls over 7 – 10 April which guarantees you four days off. But, if you request from Saturday 1 to Sunday 16 April off, you only need to use 8 annual leave days for 16 days off.
• Anzac Day, take off from Saturday 22 to Tuesday 25 April. That gives you a four-day weekend while only using one annual leave day. Or, stretch it out and take off from Saturday 22 to Sunday 30 April. That’s nine whole days while using four annual leave days.
• QLD & NT, you have another three-day long weekend for your holiday on 1 May (Labour Day for QLD, and May Day for the NT). That could be a ten-day holiday for only four annual leave days if you request from Saturday 22 April to Monday, May 1.
• Keen to take off the whole month of April? It’s easy. You only need to use 16 days of annual leave for 30 days off. NT & QLD can take an extra day for free on 1 May.

May (ACT only):

• ACT, from 27 to 29 May is another three-day weekend for you as Reconciliation Day falls on Monday 29 May. Take off the week before or after to include this and you’re only using four to five leave days for nine to ten days off.

June (NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, NT, ACT, & WA only):

• WA, no annual leave days are needed from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 June for the Western Australian Day long weekend. But, you could always turn it into 9 days off if you take off until Sunday 11 June.

• NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, NT, ACT: Fancy a long weekend or a nine-day holiday? Take off from Saturday 10 June to Monday 12 June for the King’s Birthday long weekend with no need to take any annual leave days. Or, use four annual leave days and make it a 9-day holiday if you take leave from Saturday 10 June to Sunday 18 June.

July:

• Can you believe there is not one state holiday? We need to start a petition.

August (Brisbane QLD, and NT only):

• NT, Saturday 5 August to Monday 7 August is a long weekend for you. Take advantage of that Picnic Day Public Holiday on Monday for three days off. Or, use four days of annual leave and take off from Saturday 5 August to Sunday 13 August.
• This one is specifically for you folk in Brisbane, QLD. Wednesday 16 August is the Royal QLD show public holiday. So, you could take a weekend plus two annual leave days before (12 to 16 August) or after (16 to 20 August) for a five-day weekend, or four annual leave days for nine days off (12 to 20 August).

September (WA, QLD, ACT, NSW, SA & VIC only):

• WA, Take advantage of another long weekend from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 September courtesy of the King’s Birthday. To turn this into a nine holiday, request off from Saturday 23 to Sunday 1 October, and only use four annual leave days.
• QLD, ACT, NSW, SA & VIC, you’ve got a long weekend from Saturday 30 September to Monday 2 October. This is for the King’s Birthday (QLD), Labour Day (ACT, NSW & SA), and AFL Grand Final Day (VIC). To turn this into a nine holiday, request off from Saturday 30 September to Sunday 8 October, and only use four annual leave days.

October (TAS only):

• TAS, Thursday 26 October is a public holiday for the Royal Hobart Show. You may as well take an annual leave day on the 27th and turn it into a four-day weekend through to 29 October.

November (VIC only):

• VIC, you can take a four-day weekend for one annual leave day if you book off from Saturday 4 to Tuesday 7 November, and take advantage of Melbourne Cup Day.

December (triple your annual leave this month):

• This holiday is the easiest trade of all (if you can get out of working the holidays). 3 days annual leave for 10 days off? Take off from Saturday 23 December to Monday 1 January to take advantage of two weekends and three public holidays for Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
• Keen to take a month-long holiday over the summer? It’s easy. If you book off from Saturday 23 December to Sunday 28 January you only need to use 21 days of annual leave days for 30 days off.

Now we all know that December and January blur together over that holiday season. So, I’ve got January 2024 coming up for you next so you can get your January leave approved before you go on the Christmas holidays.

January 2024:

• Turn 4 days of annual leave into a 9-day holiday by taking off from Saturday 20 to Sunday 28 January. That includes two weekends, the public holiday day on 26 January, and four annual leave days.

There is also a spate of other public holidays around the country that are specific to regional areas. Make sure you check with your local government or council to see if you can squeeze out any extra days to triple your annual leave.