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Save this cheat sheet and hack your holidays by scoring 56 days off with just 23 days of leave – you're welcome

Believe it or not, we’re already three-quarters of the way through the year, which means it’s time to start plotting your 2027 holidays. If maximising your time OOO is high on your priority list, we’ve got good news: with a little strategic annual leave, you can turn 23 days of leave into 56 days off in NSW.
From Easter long weekends to a very generous Christmas break, 2027 has plenty of opportunities to stretch your annual leave. Bookmark this public holiday cheat sheet, pick your next getaway and get those leave requests in before your coworkers do.
Take four days of annual leave and score nine days off between January 23 and 31.
Annual leave used: four days
Total time off: nine days
Take four days of annual leave and score 10 days off over the Easter long weekend.
Annual leave used: four days
Total time off: 10 days
Here’s an especially handy one for NSW in 2027. Anzac Day falls on Sunday, April 25, and the NSW Government has confirmed an additional public holiday on Monday, April 26.
Take four days of annual leave and score nine days off from April 24 to May 2.
Annual leave used: four days
Total time off: nine days
Take four days of annual leave and score nine days off from June 12 to 20.
Annual leave used: four days
Total time off: nine days
Take four days of annual leave and score nine days off from October 2 to 10.
Annual leave used: four days
Total time off: nine days
This is where things get particularly juicy. In 2027, both Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on the weekend, meaning NSW gets additional public holidays on Monday, December 27 and Tuesday, December 28.
Take three days of annual leave and score 10 days off from December 25 to January 3.
That gives you 10 consecutive days off, before you even count the public holiday that falls on Monday, January 3, 2028.
Annual leave used: three days
Total time off: 10 days
By using your annual leave strategically around NSW's 2027 public holidays, you can turn 23 days of annual leave into 56 days off across the year. What a win.
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