Australian school holidays 2027 at a glance: the full term dates and holiday breaks for NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, NT, ACT and Tasmania, all on one page. Planning flights, booking childcare or locking in annual leave? Find your state below. Last updated: September 2026.
Trying to plan a holiday, book childcare, or just work out when the kids are actually off school next year? You’re in the right place. Below you’ll find the full 2027 term dates and school holiday breaks for every state and territory in Australia — no digging through eight different government websites required.
Every state runs four terms a year, but the exact dates shift depending on where you live, so it really does pay to check your own state before you book flights or lock in leave from work.
School Holidays Australia 2027 — Holiday Dates by State
| State | Autumn School Holidays | Winter School Holidays | Spring School Holidays | Summer School Holidays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW School Holidays | 12 – 23 Apr | 5 – 16 Jul | 27 Sep – 8 Oct | 21 Dec 2027 – 28 Jan 2028* |
| VIC School Holidays | 26 Mar – 11 Apr | 26 Jun – 11 Jul | 18 Sep – 3 Oct | 18 Dec 2027 – 26 Jan 2028 |
| QLD School Holidays | 26 Mar – 11 Apr | 26 Jun – 11 Jul | 18 Sep – 4 Oct | 11 Dec 2027 – 23 Jan 2028 |
| WA School Holidays | 10 – 25 Apr | 3 – 18 Jul | 25 Sep – 10 Oct | 17 Dec 2027 – 1 Feb 2028 |
| SA School Holidays | 10 – 25 Apr | 3 – 18 Jul | 25 Sep – 10 Oct | 11 Dec 2027 – 30 Jan 2028 |
| NT School Holidays | 3 – 12 Apr | 19 Jun – 12 Jul | 18 Sep – 4 Oct | 10 Dec 2027 – 24 Jan 2028 |
*NSW Eastern division. NSW Western division schools return later, with summer holidays running to 4 February 2028. Catholic and independent schools can differ from government school dates, so check with your school.
Jump to your state:
NSW · VIC · QLD · WA · SA · NT · ACT · TAS
When Does School Go Back in 2027?
| State / Territory | First day of Term 1 2027 (students) |
|---|---|
| Queensland | Wednesday 27 January |
| South Australia | Wednesday 27 January |
| Northern Territory | Wednesday 27 January |
| Victoria | Thursday 28 January |
| Western Australia | Monday 1 February |
| ACT | Tuesday 2 February (returning students) |
| NSW | Wednesday 3 February (Eastern division) |
| Tasmania | Thursday 4 February |
Australian School Holidays 2027 by Month
April school holidays 2027 (Easter)
Easter falls from Friday 26 March to Monday 29 March 2027, so only Victoria and Queensland have school holidays over the long weekend (26 March – 11 April). The NT break runs 3 – 12 April, NSW is 12 – 23 April, WA, SA and Tasmania are 10 – 25 April, and the ACT is 10 – 27 April.
July school holidays 2027
Winter holidays start first in the Northern Territory (19 June). Victoria and Queensland follow on 26 June, then WA, SA, Tasmania and the ACT from 3 July. NSW is the last to break up, with winter holidays from 5 to 16 July.
September and October school holidays 2027
Victoria, Queensland and the NT start spring holidays on 18 September. WA, SA, Tasmania and the ACT start on 25 September, and NSW starts on 27 September. Most states are back at school between 4 and 11 October.
December school holidays 2027
The NT finishes first on 10 December, followed by Queensland and SA on 11 December. Victoria and the ACT break up on 18 December, WA and Tasmania on 17 December, and NSW on 21 December. Summer is where states differ most: on the dates above, SA and the ACT have the longest break and NSW and Victoria the shortest.
NSW School Holidays 2027
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | 28 Jan 2027 (Thu) | |
| Term 1 Holidays (Autumn) | 12 Apr 2027 (Mon) | 23 Apr 2027 (Fri) |
| Term 2 Holidays (Winter) | 5 Jul 2027 (Mon) | 16 Jul 2027 (Fri) |
| Term 3 Holidays (Spring) | 27 Sep 2027 (Mon) | 8 Oct 2027 (Fri) |
| Term 4 Holidays (Summer) | 21 Dec 2027 (Tue) | 28 Jan 2028 (Fri) |
Want the full breakdown with every term date? Head to our NSW School Holidays 2027 page.
VIC School Holidays 2027
| Period | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Wednesday, 27 January 2027 (Students start 28 Jan) | Thursday, 25 March 2027 |
| Autumn Holidays | Friday, 26 March 2027 | Sunday, 11 April 2027 |
| Term 2 | Monday, 12 April 2027 | Friday, 25 June 2027 |
| Winter Holidays | Saturday, 26 June 2027 | Sunday, 11 July 2027 |
| Term 3 | Monday, 12 July 2027 | Friday, 17 September 2027 |
| Spring Holidays | Saturday, 18 September 2027 | Sunday, 3 October 2027 |
| Term 4 | Monday, 4 October 2027 | Friday, 17 December 2027 |
| Summer Holidays | Saturday, 18 December 2027 | Wednesday, 26 January 2028 |
Full details, money-saving tips and term-by-term advice for Victorian families: VIC School Holidays 2027.
QLD School Holidays 2027
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | 27 Jan 2027 (Wed) | |
| Term 1 Holidays (Autumn) | 26 Mar 2027 (Fri) | 11 Apr 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 2 Holidays (Winter) | 26 Jun 2027 (Sat) | 11 Jul 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 3 Holidays (Spring) | 18 Sep 2027 (Sat) | 4 Oct 2027 (Mon) |
| Term 4 Holidays (Summer) | 11 Dec 2027 (Sat) | 23 Jan 2028 (Sun) |
More detail on Queensland’s dates: QLD School Holidays 2027.
WA School Holidays 2027
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | 1 Feb 2027 (Mon) | |
| Term 1 Holidays (Autumn) | 10 Apr 2027 (Sat) | 25 Apr 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 2 Holidays (Winter) | 3 Jul 2027 (Sat) | 18 Jul 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 3 Holidays (Spring) | 25 Sep 2027 (Sat) | 10 Oct 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 4 Holidays (Summer) | 17 Dec 2027 (Fri) | 1 Feb 2028 (Tue) |
Full WA breakdown here: WA School Holidays 2027.
SA School Holidays 2027
| Term | School Dates | Holiday Break |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 27 Jan – 9 Apr 2027 | 10 Apr – 25 Apr 2027 (Autumn) |
| Term 2 | 26 Apr – 2 Jul 2027 | 3 Jul – 18 Jul 2027 (Winter) |
| Term 3 | 19 Jul – 24 Sep 2027 | 25 Sep – 10 Oct 2027 (Spring) |
| Term 4 | 11 Oct – 10 Dec 2027 | 11 Dec 2027 – 30 Jan 2028 (Summer) |
Full South Australian dates: SA School Holidays 2027.
NT School Holidays 2027
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | 27 Jan 2027 (Wed) | |
| Term 1 Holidays | 3 Apr 2027 (Sat) | 12 Apr 2027 (Mon) |
| Term 2 Holidays | 19 Jun 2027 (Sat) | 12 Jul 2027 (Mon) |
| Term 3 Holidays | 18 Sep 2027 (Sat) | 4 Oct 2027 (Mon) |
| Term 4 Holidays | 10 Dec 2027 (Fri) | 24 Jan 2028 (Sun) |
Full Northern Territory dates: NT School Holidays 2027.
ACT School Holidays 2027
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | 1 Feb 2027 (new students) / 2 Feb 2027 (returning students) | |
| Term 1 Holidays (Autumn) | 10 Apr 2027 (Sat) | 27 Apr 2027 (Tue) |
| Term 2 Holidays (Winter) | 3 Jul 2027 (Sat) | 19 Jul 2027 (Mon) |
| Term 3 Holidays (Spring) | 25 Sep 2027 (Sat) | 11 Oct 2027 (Mon) |
| Term 4 Holidays (Summer) | 18 Dec 2027 (Sat) | 7 Feb 2028 (Mon) |
Full Canberra/ACT dates: ACT School Holidays 2027.
TAS School Holidays 2027
| School Holidays | Starts | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| First Day of School | 4 Feb 2027 (Thu) | |
| Term 1 Holidays (Autumn) | 10 Apr 2027 (Sat) | 25 Apr 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 2 Holidays (Winter) | 3 Jul 2027 (Sat) | 18 Jul 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 3 Holidays (Spring) | 25 Sep 2027 (Sat) | 10 Oct 2027 (Sun) |
| Term 4 Holidays (Summer) | 17 Dec 2027 (Fri) | onwards into 2028 |
Plan Around the 2027 School Holidays
- Public holidays: school breaks and long weekends often overlap. Check public holidays Australia 2027 for your state.
- Making the most of your leave: see our guide to how to maximise your annual leave in 2027.
- Things to do: browse school holiday activities near you, from cooking classes to escape rooms and playgrounds.
- Other years: school holidays 2026 · school holidays 2028 (including NSW school holidays 2028 and QLD school holidays 2028).
Don’t forget public holidays too
School holidays are one thing, but public holidays can turn a normal week into a sneaky long weekend. Check out Public Holidays Australia 2027 for the full list by state.
Looking for something to fill the days?
We’ve pulled together a big list of school holiday activities, from cooking classes to escape rooms to your local playground. Head over to our school holiday activities page for ideas near you.
A Few Things Parents Always Ask
Every state gets four holiday breaks a year — one after each term — plus the big summer break over Christmas and New Year, which is the longest one.
Term 1 starts late January to early February depending on your state — check the table for your state above for the exact date.
They all come out to roughly the same total each year, just split up a bit differently term to term.
Nope, and this catches a lot of families out. Each state sets its own dates, so if you’ve got family interstate, or you’re planning to travel between states, it’s worth double-checking both calendars before you book anything.
Many follow their state’s government calendar, but independent and Catholic schools can set their own term dates and pupil-free days. Always confirm with your child’s school.
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