As Australians prepare for the festive season, smart holiday planning can turn a handful of annual leave days into extended breaks perfect for family gatherings, road trips, or simply relaxing at home.

The 2025/26 summer holiday period offers several opportunities for savvy workers to maximise their time off, particularly around Christmas, New Year, and Australia Day.

This year's calendar creates an ideal situation for extended breaks. Christmas Day falls on Thursday, December 25, with Boxing Day on Friday, December 26.

New Year's Day lands on Thursday, January 1, 2026.

By taking just three days of annual leave on Monday December 22 through Wednesday December 24, workers can enjoy a six-day break from Saturday December 20 through Sunday December 28.

Similarly, taking leave from Monday December 29 through Wednesday December 31 extends the New Year break.

For those with generous leave balances, combining both strategies creates a spectacular 10-day holiday from December 20 through January 4, using only six days of annual leave.

Australia Day on January falls 26 on a Sunday in 2026, meaning Monday January 27 is observed as the public holiday, creating a natural three-day long weekend; no annual leave required.

This provides an ideal opportunity for a quick getaway to start the year, particularly appealing to regional families who might visit coastal areas or explore nearby attractions.

School holidays run from mid-December 2025 through late January 2026, creating the busiest period for regional tourism and family activities.

Parents working in education have the advantage of automatic alignment with school breaks, but other families must plan carefully to coordinate with children's holidays.

For agricultural workers in the Riverina, summer holidays often compete with harvest schedules.

Cotton growers around Bourke and Hay, citrus farmers in Griffith and Menindee, and grain producers across the region face difficult choices about timing breaks.

Shearing contractors face similar challenges, with teams moving between properties through summer.

Many coordinate their holidays for late January or early February when seasonal work temporarily slows.

Regional small businesses often operate with skeleton staff between Christmas and New Year, with some closing entirely.

Government offices, banks, and professional services typically maintain minimal staffing during this period, with many transactions requiring extra time to process.

Tourism operators report that accommodation in popular regional destinations books out months in advance for peak periods.

Grey nomads, who make up a significant proportion of regional tourism, often plan their itineraries a year ahead to secure preferred locations.

Employment experts recommend several strategies for maximising summer breaks.

These include to submit leave requests early, especially if working in industries with high holiday demand, coordinate with coworkers to ensure adequate coverage, consider shoulder periods (early December or late January) when prices are lower and crowds thinner, be flexible with dates if possible; sometimes one day's difference dramatically improves availability, check if your employer offers extra public holiday provisions in enterprise agreements.

 For regional NSW workers, the 2025-26 summer offers excellent opportunities to recharge, reconnect with family, and explore both local attractions and further afield, provided they plan ahead.