Queensland School Term Dates and Holidays 2026 to 2029

Queensland families can plan several years ahead using the dates published by the Queensland Department of Education. This guide brings together the official state school terms, school holiday periods, staff professional development days and Queensland public holidays currently available for 2026 to 2029.

These dates are for Queensland state schools. Before booking travel, care or a move, check your own school's calendar because local arrangements, show holidays and unexpected closures can change the days on which students attend.

For a calendar-style overview, also see the BestSchools school holiday calendars.

Queensland state school term dates for 2026

Queensland state school term dates for 2027

Queensland state school term dates for 2028

Queensland state school term dates for 2029

Official Queensland school holiday periods

The Department of Education publishes the following breaks around the state school terms.

How to interpret the school holidays

A listed holiday period includes weekends and any public holidays that fall inside it. The next term begins on the date in the term table, not necessarily on the first Monday after the break. This matters in years such as 2026, when Term 4 begins on Tuesday 6 October 2026 after the King's Birthday public holiday on Monday 5 October 2026.

The 2029 summer holiday end is deliberately left open. The Department states that the January 2030 end date will be published after ministerial approval. Do not infer a return date from earlier years.

Staff professional development and pupil-free dates

Queensland publishes staff professional development dates alongside the term calendar. These are staff duty days and should not be treated as student attendance days without checking your school.

Schools can also be affected by local events, emergency closures or changes communicated directly to families. Use the statewide dates for planning, then confirm attendance days with the school.

Queensland public holidays, 2026 to 2029

These dates come from the Queensland Government public holidays table. The Royal Queensland Show date applies to the Brisbane area only. Other Queensland regions have their own show holidays, so check the official show holiday page before making local plans.

Public holidays can sit inside a school holiday period or change the first student day after a break. In 2026, the King's Birthday falls on Monday 5 October 2026 and Term 4 starts on Tuesday 6 October 2026. Always use the Queensland calendar and your school's advice rather than assuming every term resumes on Monday.

Government and non-government school dates can differ

These tables cover Queensland state schools. Catholic and independent schools may use different term dates, student-free days or finish times. Check the calendar issued by the individual school before booking flights, accommodation or care.

If you are comparing school structures as well as dates, read the Queensland school year levels guide and the broader Australian school year levels state guide.

Planning tips for Queensland families

1. Confirm the first student day. Staff may return before students, particularly around Term 1 and Term 2.
2. Check your local show holiday. The Brisbane Ekka holiday is not a statewide date.
3. Avoid guessing the 2030 return date. The 2029 summer break end is not yet officially published.
4. Book flexible travel. Government dates can be updated, and individual school arrangements may differ.
5. Plan enrolment early. Use the Australian school enrolment step-by-step guide and school enrolment timeline.
6. Check location rules when moving. Families changing suburbs or states can use the guides to school zones and catchments and moving schools between states.

Related BestSchools guides

• School holiday calendars
• Australian school enrolment step-by-step guide
• School enrolment timeline Australia
• Moving schools between states
• School zones and catchments
• Queensland school year levels guide

Sources

All date claims above were checked against official Queensland Government sources.

• Queensland Department of Education, current 2026 school holidays, term dates and staff professional development dates: https://education.qld.gov.au/about-us/calendar/term-dates
• Queensland Department of Education, future school dates for 2027, 2028 and 2029: https://education.qld.gov.au/about-us/calendar/future-dates
• Queensland Government, public holidays for 2026 to 2029: https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/travel/holidays/public
• Queensland Government, local show holidays: https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/travel/holidays/show

Source coverage checked: state school terms and holiday periods for 2026 to 2029; published staff professional development dates for 2026 to 2029; Queensland public holidays for 2026 to 2029. The January 2030 end of the 2029 summer holiday is officially unpublished and has not been inferred.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Queensland school term dates for 2026?

How far ahead has Queensland published state school dates?

Are Queensland school holidays the same for private schools?

Is the Ekka holiday observed across Queensland?

Are professional development days school holidays?

Can term dates change?