School Holidays 2026: Dates by State & When Schools Go Back

School holiday dates in 2026 vary by state, shift slightly each year, and rarely line up neatly with your leave. This guide has the 2026 dates for every state, when schools go back, and how to plan childcare and annual leave around them. For most states, the next break is the winter holidays in July.

When do schools go back in 2026?

Most states run a four-term year. Term 1 2026 started in the last week of January, and after each holiday break schools return the following week. The 2026 summer break begins in December 2026, with students returning for the 2027 school year in late January 2027. For the exact return date in your state — including staggered staff and student start days — see the School Term Dates page.

2026 school holiday dates by state

State	Autumn	Winter	Spring	Summer from
NSW	7–17 Apr	6–17 Jul	28 Sep–9 Oct	18 Dec
VIC	3–19 Apr	27 Jun–12 Jul	19 Sep–4 Oct	19 Dec
QLD	3–19 Apr	27 Jun–12 Jul	19 Sep–5 Oct	12 Dec
SA	11–26 Apr	4–19 Jul	26 Sep–11 Oct	12 Dec
WA	3–19 Apr	4–19 Jul	26 Sep–11 Oct	18 Dec
TAS	18 Apr–3 May	11–26 Jul	3–18 Oct	19 Dec
NT	3–12 Apr	20 Jun–12 Jul	19 Sep–4 Oct	12 Dec
ACT	3–20 Apr	4–20 Jul	26 Sep–12 Oct	19 Dec

These are the government school holiday periods. Non-government schools sometimes vary by a few days, so confirm with your school. For a term-by-term view with exact return dates, see School Term Dates.

Which break is longest — and which state breaks up first?

The summer break is by far the longest at six to eight weeks. The catch is the staggered start: Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory break up first, around 12 December, while NSW, WA, VIC, TAS and the ACT run through to 18–19 December. If you're planning interstate travel, the early-finishing states hit the roads and book accommodation first.

The two-week winter break in July is the most underrated. It's long enough for a family trip but short enough to cover with a mix of leave, family help and holiday programs.

Aligning leave with school holidays

Two-week breaks are longer than the leave most parents want to spend in one go. Approaches that stretch your leave further:

• Split the break. One parent takes week one, the other week two — one week of leave each covers the whole fortnight.
• Use vacation care. Councils, YMCAs and childcare centres run holiday programs every break. Popular spots fill within days of bookings opening.
• Lean on the autumn break. It overlaps Easter in most states, so the public holidays do some of the work and your leave days stretch further.

Model different splits with the Leave Planner to find the approach that covers the most days for the least leave.

Frequently asked questions

When do schools go back after the 2026 winter holidays?

Most states return in mid-to-late July 2026, the week after the winter break ends — for example, NSW students return on Monday 20 July and Victorian students on Monday 13 July. Check the School Term Dates page for your state's exact Term 3 start.

What are the school holiday dates for Victoria in 2026?

Victorian government schools have holiday breaks on 3–19 April, 27 June–12 July and 19 September–4 October 2026, with the summer break starting 19 December. The terms run between those breaks — see School Term Dates for exact term start and end dates.

What are the dates for the Easter school holidays in 2026?

The autumn break overlaps Easter (Good Friday 3 April to Easter Monday 6 April 2026). In VIC, QLD, WA, NT and the ACT the break starts on 3 April; NSW runs 7–17 April and SA 11–26 April.

Which state has the earliest summer holidays in 2026?

Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory finish first, breaking up around 12 December 2026. NSW, WA, VIC, TAS and the ACT continue to 18–19 December.