Planning the year ahead for your family in Queensland? The 2026 school calendar is already set, and it’s packed with useful dates for term breaks, public holidays, and long weekends. Whether you’re mapping out holidays or just want to know when the next school break falls, the official dates from Education Queensland (state education authority) and the Queensland Government give you a solid foundation. This guide pulls together confirmed term dates, public holidays, and long weekend opportunities so you can plan with confidence.

4 related posts

School days in 2026: 195 ·
Number of school terms: 4 ·
Term 1 start date: 27 January 2026 ·
Term 4 end date: 11 December 2026 ·
Public holidays in QLD 2026: 10 ·
Easter holiday break: 3 April – 19 April 2026

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact pupil-free days vary by school – check local school calendars
  • Private school holiday dates may differ from public schools
  • Catholic school holiday dates may vary slightly
3Timeline signal
  • Term 1 ends 2 Apr 2026 – start of autumn break
  • Term 2 ends 26 Jun 2026 – start of winter break
  • Term 3 ends 18 Sep 2026 – start of spring break
  • Term 4 ends 11 Dec 2026 – start of summer break
4What’s next
  • Summer holidays begin 12 Dec 2026
  • School returns for 2027 in late January 2027
  • Plan ahead for long weekends and public holidays

The 2026 school year in Queensland runs across four terms, with 195 school days in total. The structure is straightforward: a 10-week term rhythm with two-week breaks.

Metric Value
School days in 2026 195
Number of school terms 4
Term 1 start date 27 January 2026
Term 4 end date 11 December 2026
Public holidays in QLD 2026 10
Easter holiday break 3 April – 19 April 2026
Longest holiday break Summer (12 December 2026 – late January 2027)

What are the QLD school holiday dates for 2026?

Queensland’s school year follows a familiar four-term rhythm, with breaks in autumn, winter, spring, and summer. The official Education Queensland calendar sets the statewide dates, though individual schools may schedule a few pupil-free days around them.

Autumn holidays (Easter break)

The autumn break overlaps with the Easter long weekend, giving families a solid two-and-a-half-week stretch. Good Friday and Easter Monday fall within this period, so the break effectively starts on the last day of Term 1.

Winter holidays

Winter break is the shortest of the year at just over two weeks. It’s a good window for a mid-year getaway without missing any school.

Spring holidays

Note that the spring break extends into early October, overlapping with the King’s Birthday public holiday (Monday, 5 October). That means many families get an extra day off on the Monday after the break officially ends.

Summer holidays (end of year)

  • Term 4 ends: Friday, 11 December 2026 (Newy with Kids)
  • Summer holidays: from Saturday, 12 December 2026 until Tuesday, 26 January 2027 (Public Holidays Australia)

The summer break is the longest, lasting about six and a half weeks. School resumes for 2027 in late January – check the following year’s calendar for the exact date.

Bottom line: QLD school holidays in 2026 follow a predictable pattern: 2-week breaks in autumn, winter, and spring, with a 6.5-week summer break. Families planning trips should book around the Easter window (3–19 April) and the winter break (27 June–12 July) for the best overlap with public holidays.

What date are Easter school holidays in QLD?

Easter 2026 falls early, and the school holidays wrap around it neatly. The autumn break is essentially the Easter holiday period.

Good Friday and Easter Monday dates

  • Good Friday: Friday, 3 April 2026 (Public Holidays Australia)
  • Easter Monday: Monday, 6 April 2026 (Public Holidays Australia)

School holiday period including Easter

The Easter school holidays run from Friday, 3 April to Sunday, 19 April 2026 – the full autumn break. This means families get a four-day weekend (Friday to Monday) from the public holidays, plus the surrounding school-free days. It’s one of the best opportunities for a longer holiday without using annual leave.

Why this matters

The Easter break gives Queensland families a 17-day window with only four public holidays inside it. That’s a rare chance for a two-week trip without dipping into school absentee days.

What are the long weekends in Queensland in 2026?

Queensland offers several long weekends in 2026, some of which fall inside school breaks. Here’s the rundown of every three-day (or longer) weekend.

Australia Day long weekend

  • Australia Day: Monday, 26 January 2026 – 3-day weekend (Saturday 24 – Monday 26) (Public Holidays Australia)

This falls during Term 1, so it’s a mid-term break for students.

Easter long weekend

  • Good Friday 3 April, Easter Monday 6 April – 4-day weekend (Friday 3 – Monday 6) (Public Holidays Australia)

Already discussed – this sits inside the autumn school holidays, so it’s a bonus for holiday planning.

Anzac Day long weekend

  • Anzac Day: Saturday, 25 April 2026 – no additional day off (falls on Saturday) (Public Holidays Australia)

Anzac Day on a Saturday means no Mondayisation in Queensland. Schools are already on Term 2 at that point, but the holiday itself is observed on the Saturday.

Labour Day long weekend

This falls in Term 2, giving students a Monday off in early May.

King’s Birthday long weekend

This lands on the last day of the spring school holidays. So students get the Monday off and then return to school on Tuesday, 6 October.

Christmas long weekend

  • Christmas Day: Friday, 25 December 2026 – 3-day weekend (Friday 25 – Sunday 27) (Retail Association of Queensland)
  • Boxing Day: Saturday, 26 December 2026 – observed Monday, 28 December 2026 – 3-day weekend (Saturday 26 – Monday 28) (Retail Association of Queensland)

Christmas and Boxing Day together create a four-day window from Friday to Monday. Both fall during the summer school holidays.

Bottom line: Queenslanders get six long weekends in 2026, but only four of them fall during school terms. The Easter and King’s Birthday weekends are the most valuable for family travel because they extend already existing school breaks.

Is March 23, 2026 a holiday?

No, March 23, 2026 is not a public holiday in Queensland. It falls on a Monday during Term 1, so it’s a regular school day.

Public holiday status

There are no public holidays in Queensland in March 2026. The next public holiday after Australia Day (26 January) is Good Friday on 3 April. So Monday, 23 March is a standard working and school day.

School holiday status

March 23 falls within Term 1, which runs from 27 January to 2 April 2026. Students are in class, and no pupil-free days are scheduled statewide on that date. Individual schools may schedule a pupil-free day, but that’s not common in March.

The catch

Some independent schools schedule a pupil-free day in March for parent-teacher interviews or professional development. Always check your school’s own calendar, not just the state-wide dates.

What are the school holiday dates in Australia?

Each Australian state and territory sets its own school term dates, so there’s no single national calendar. However, Queensland’s schedule is closely aligned with New South Wales, though differences exist.

Comparison of QLD school holidays with other states

  • Queensland and NSW both start the school year in late January, but NSW often finishes Term 1 a week earlier or later (Education Queensland).
  • South Australia and Victoria have different term structures, with breaks that sometimes shift by a week (Public Holidays Australia).
  • Western Australia and the Northern Territory also follow their own calendars.

For inter-state family travel, always check the destination state’s official education department website. The differences are usually just a week, but that can make or break a holiday plan.

Key differences in term dates

One notable difference: Queensland’s spring holidays end on 5 October 2026 (King’s Birthday), while NSW spring holidays typically end a week earlier. This means QLD families have a slight advantage for October getaways, but they also return to school later.

What to watch

If you’re planning a trip to another state during school holidays, verify that the break aligns. QLD’s autumn break is 3–19 April, but Victoria’s autumn break might be 4–19 April or different. A one-day mismatch can cause confusion.

Timeline: Key dates at a glance

Here’s the full 2026 school year timeline for Queensland, from the first day of Term 1 to the start of summer holidays.

  • 27 January 2026 – Term 1 starts for students (Education Queensland)
  • 2 April 2026 – Term 1 ends (Newy with Kids)
  • 3 April – 19 April 2026 – Autumn school holidays (Easter break) (Newy with Kids)
  • 20 April 2026 – Term 2 starts (Holidays with Kids)
  • 26 June 2026 – Term 2 ends (Holidays with Kids)
  • 27 June – 12 July 2026 – Winter school holidays (Public Holidays Australia)
  • 13 July 2026 – Term 3 starts (Holidays with Kids)
  • 18 September 2026 – Term 3 ends (Holidays with Kids)
  • 19 September – 4 October 2026 – Spring school holidays (QLD School Holiday)
  • 5 October 2026 – Term 4 starts (King’s Birthday public holiday, so school starts Tuesday 6 Oct) (Retail Association of Queensland)
  • 11 December 2026 – Term 4 ends (last day for students) (Newy with Kids)
  • 12 December 2026 onwards – Summer school holidays begin (Public Holidays Australia)

The pattern is clean: each term runs about 10 weeks, with a 2-week break between terms except for the summer break which is about 6.5 weeks. For families, the key takeaway is that the Easter break and the spring break offer the best opportunities for extended holidays because they align with public holidays.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Term dates from Education Queensland official calendar – confirmed statewide
  • Public holidays as per Queensland Government gazette – including Easter, Labour Day, King’s Birthday, Christmas
  • 195 school days in 2026 – exact number from the official calendar
  • Autumn holidays 3–19 April, winter 27 Jun–12 Jul, spring 19 Sep–4 Oct, summer from 12 Dec

What’s still unclear

  • Exact pupil-free days – vary by school, check your school’s calendar
  • Private school holiday dates – may differ from public schools by a few days
  • Catholic school holiday dates – sometimes follow a slightly different schedule, especially for Easter
  • Brisbane-only show holiday (Royal Queensland Show) – Wednesday, 12 August 2026, applies only to Brisbane metro area

“There are 195 school days in 2026.”

— Education Queensland (state education authority)

“Term 1 commences for students on 27 January 2026.”

— Queensland Department of Education 2026 school calendar PDF

For Queensland families planning holidays in 2026, the official calendar is a reliable backbone. The confirmed dates let you book flights and accommodation with confidence, but always double-check with your child’s school for any local variations – especially pupil-free days and private school schedules.

Additional sources

studiosity.com, schoolholidays2026.au, publicholidays.com.au, maroonoec.eq.edu.au, facebook.com

For a detailed breakdown of each term break and public holiday, refer to the full guide on Queensland school holidays 2026 dates.

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Frequently asked questions

Do QLD school holidays include public holidays?

No, school holidays are separate from public holidays. Public holidays that fall during school terms are days off, but they don’t extend the school holiday period unless they occur at the start or end of a break. For example, Easter public holidays fall inside the autumn break, so they effectively give families an extra long weekend within the holiday.

Are there any school holidays in March 2026?

No. March 2026 is entirely within Term 1, which runs from 27 January to 2 April. There are no school holidays or public holidays in March. The next break starts on 3 April with the autumn holidays.

What is the first day of school in 2026?

The first day of school for Queensland students in 2026 is Tuesday, 27 January. Teachers return earlier – on 22 January – for preparation days. This date is confirmed in the Education Queensland school calendar.

When does the 2026 school year end?

The 2026 school year ends on Friday, 11 December for most students. Summer holidays then begin on 12 December and continue until late January 2027. The exact return date for 2027 will be confirmed in the next year’s calendar.

How many weeks are in each term?

Each term in Queensland is approximately 10 weeks long. Term 1 runs 10 weeks, Term 2 about 10 weeks, Term 3 about 10 weeks, and Term 4 about 10 weeks. The total is 40 school weeks, with 195 school days accounting for pupil-free days and public holidays.

Are there any school closures for Anzac Day?

Anzac Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, so schools are already closed. Schools do not close on the Friday before Anzac Day unless it’s a pupil-free day. Students will not have a day off on Friday 24 April unless their school schedules it.

Can I get a printable QLD school calendar 2026?

Yes, the Education Queensland website offers a free PDF of the 2026 school calendar. You can print it directly. Many third-party sites also offer printable versions, but the official PDF is the most reliable source.

Do Catholic schools in QLD have the same holidays?

Generally, Catholic schools in Queensland follow the same term dates as state schools, but there can be minor differences – especially around Easter and pupil-free days. Check with your local Catholic school or the Brisbane Catholic Education office for exact dates.

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