🇦🇺 Anzac Day falls on 25 April 2026 in Australia. Here’s your complete guide — from the history and meaning of the day, to what’s worth doing, and how to stretch it into your best break of 2026.
What Is Anzac Day?
Anzac Day commemorates the landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) troops at Gallipoli, Turkey on 25 April 1915. It has grown into a national day of remembrance for all who served in military operations. Dawn services across Australia draw hundreds of thousands of people every year — it is one of the most solemn and moving commemorations in the world.
Local name: Anzac Day First observed: 1916 Type: National Public Holiday
🌺 Why Australia Celebrates
Honouring the Australians and New Zealanders who served in all wars
Anzac Day commemorates the landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) troops at Gallipoli, Turkey on 25 April 1915. It has grown into a national day of remembrance for all who served in military operations. Dawn services across Australia draw hundreds of thousands of people every year — it is one of the most solemn and moving commemorations in the world.
Things to Do on Anzac Day
Whether you’re a local or visiting Australia, here’s what to do with the day:
🌅 Attend a Dawn Service
Held at dawn across every city and town — a deeply moving national tradition
🌺 Wear a rosemary sprig
Rosemary grows on the Gallipoli Peninsula and symbolises remembrance
🃏 Play Two-Up
The traditional gambling game is legally played on Anzac Day only — join a pub game
🏖️ April road trip
April weather is perfect across most of Australia — ideal for a coastal drive
Fun Facts About Anzac Day
- 🌺 Over 250,000 Australians attend Anzac Day dawn services every year — it’s one of the largest civic events in the country.
- 🇳🇿 Anzac Day is also a national public holiday in New Zealand — both countries commemorate it on the same day.
- 🃏 Two-Up — the coin-tossing game played on Anzac Day — is technically illegal on any other day of the year in most Australian states.
How to Maximize Your Time Off Around Anzac Day
Anzac Day lands on a Saturday. Here’s what that means for your break:
The Optimal Window
By using just 5 vacation days, you can take 11 consecutive days off from Friday 3 April to Monday 13 April 2026.
That breaks down as:
- 5 PTO days you take off
- 3 public holidays already covered
- 5 weekend days you get for free
How to Request the Time Off
- Open the Vacation Maximizer app
- Select Australia (AU) as your country
- Set your available PTO days to 5
- The app automatically shows you the best windows including this one
April 2026 is exceptional for Australian workers — Good Friday (Apr 3), Easter Monday (Apr 6), and Anzac Day (Apr 25) all fall in the same month, creating two separate long-weekend opportunities.
Is Anzac Day a Public Holiday in All of Australia?
Anzac Day is a national public holiday observed in all states and territories of Australia.
Travelling to Australia for Anzac Day?
April is arguably the best month to visit Australia — summer heat has passed, prices drop after the school holidays, and both the coast and outback are at their most comfortable. Melbourne and Sydney are stunning in autumn.
Tip: The Sydney and Melbourne dawn services are extraordinary — arrive by 4:30am to get a good spot.
Plan Your Anzac Day Break
Don’t wait until the last minute to request time off. 25 April 2026 is 49 days away — book your PTO now.
Vacation Maximizer automatically calculates the best vacation windows for Australia and 100+ other countries. Free on iOS and Android.
Public holiday data sourced from Nager.Date. Vacation window calculations use Vacation Maximizer’s PTO optimization algorithm.