Australian School Holidays Information for planning a Gold Coast Vacation

Did you know school holidays in Australia vary from state to state?

Australian Holiday
Information for Schools
at a Glance

Best Time to Visit Gold Coast

Main School Vacation Periods

2008 Holiday Dates for Schools

2009 Holiday dates for Schools

Trip Planning Information

Australia has 6 States (QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, WA and TAS) plus 2 Territories (NT and ACT).

Each has a state government responsible for education. School Term dates in each state can be quite different.

Gold Coast peak season for flights and accommodation is usually when both NSW and Qld state schools are on vacation.

Double check when you book as even a few days can make a big difference to the cost of your trip.

Most schools around Australia work around a 4 term school year except Tasmania which has 3 terms.

Main Holiday Dates for Australian State Schools

Summer Holidays
Mid December – late January (6 to 8 weeks)

End of Term 1 - usually also includes Easter period
Mid March – mid April (1 to 3 weeks) – depends when Easter falls

Winter Holidays
Mid June – mid July (2 to 3 weeks)

End of Term 3
Mid September – mid October (2 to 3 weeks)

Busiest times are when all schools are on vacation at the same time! Interstate visitors with children can sometimes sneak in to the Gold Coast at the begining or end of their holidays and pay off peak rates.

Generally the price of accommodation is based upon the Qld and NSW state school dates.

Visitors without children and the flexibility to choose can save money by avoiding these peak times. The exception to this is when there is a big event on such as Indy.

Major Holiday Dates for Schools - 2008

1 January 2008 to 28 January 2008
5 April 2008 to 27 April 2008
28 June 2008 to 20 July 2008
20 September 2008 to 12 October 2008
13 December 2008 to late January 2008

State by State Australian Term Dates and School Holidays for 2008

Major Holiday Dates for Schools - 2009

1 January 2009 to 26 January 2009
4 April 2009 to 27 April 2009
27 June 2009 to 26 July 2009
19 September 2009 to 18 October 2009
12 December 2009 to late January 2010

State by State Australian Term Dates and School Holidays for 2009

Please note, the dates above encompass when either Qld or NSW or both are on school holidays. For actual term dates for each state click on the link above and you will be taken to the Australian Government website with the latest information.

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Best time to visit the Gold Coast guide breaks down what's on and what it's like in the Gold Coast each month.

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