With summer about to start in Australia, there's a good chance you're already dreaming of holidays.
Like most Australians, you probably have a maximum of 20 days of paid leave each year. We'll tell you the best times to take those days off so you end up with over 50 days of holidays next year.
Australia Day, 26 January
Let's start with this three-day weekend. No need to take any leave here.
Easter weekend, 30 March to 2 April
Use four days of leave in the week leading to Easter and four days in the week after, which will give you 16 days off (including weekends and statutory holidays). Why not go check out the cherry blossoms in Japan, or enjoy Vietnam during the dry season?
A girl is helped to look close at cherry blossoms at Ueno Park in Tokyo, Sunday, April 3, 2016. (AP) Source: AP
Anzac Day, 25 April
A day off on a Wednesday? No worries, take four days off from your leave, which will give you 9 days off, including the weekends. You can also do that at any other time in the year where you have a three-day weekend.
Queen's Birthday, 11 June
A three-day weekend. Perfect timing to escape the cold winter in the southern part of the country to spend a few days in sunny Cairns.
An Australian professor has developed a type of IVF to help ailing coral reefs recover. (AAP) Source: AAP
Labour Day, 1 October
....And another three-day weekend. The date on this one sometimes varies from state to state, but most Australian states and territories have a similar labour day long weekend at some stage throughout the month.
Christmas and New Year
Take seven days of leave during the Christmas period, which will give you 16 days to eat, relax and spend time with your loved ones (from 22 December to 6 January, including weekends and statutory holidays)
You'll still have one day of leave left, which you can use whenever you want, or use wisely, depending on the state where you live. In Victoria, for example, taking the Monday before the Melbourne Cup will give you a 4-day weekend.
There you have it, over 50 days of holidays for 2018. Enjoy!
