NSW lags behind the national long weekend tally; it's time for change

It’s time to level the playing field for the long weekend.

Australia is supposedly the land of the fair go, an egalitarian state in which all people are treated equally. We have generous annual leave provisions, leave loading – that wonderful thing where employers pay you extra to go on holiday – and what I thought was a decent number of public holidays. But as a resident of NSW, I was gobsmacked to discover we fall behind other states with only 11 days off.

a crowded beach at Adelaide/Tarntanya — South Australia claims the highest number of public holidays in the country, which means residents get to spend more time relaxing in places like Glenelg, a popular metropolitan beach in Adelaide. (Image: South Australia Tourism Commission/Josie Withers)

South Australia comes out on top with 14, the lucky ducks, thanks to Adelaide Cup Day in March and New Year’s Eve. With extra leave for the AFL grand final and Melbourne Cup, Victorians get 13 public holidays a year. Queenslanders have 12, Western Australians have 11 and poor Tasmanians bring up the rear with only 10 days off. Anyone else think we should even the playing field nationally?

I have a recent, newfound appreciation for long weekends. Working on staff at newspapers, I was in the office while everyone else had a sleep-in – don’t feel too sorry for me, they made it up to us with six weeks’ annual leave. As a freelancer pre-kids, I’d also use it as a chance to catch up on work. But with two tiny dictators who don’t go to daycare on public holidays, I’m forced to take the day off. And, to state the obvious, it’s great.

Aerial view of Yamba Kayaks on the Clarence River. — Another public holiday for NSW would mean more time to spend with family and friends for activities like kayaking in Yamba. (Image: Destination NSW)

Not only do I get to spend time with my little family without the pressures of having to be somewhere at a certain time, but I also get to hang out with friends who also happen to have the day off. I can’t believe I missed out on this joy all these years. It took a while, but I finally understand the excitement in the lead-up to a free day off.

The benefits of a public holiday speak for themselves

Friends enjoying a yoga session at Belongil Beach. — Taking time out benefits our mental health. (Image: Elements of Byron)

A public holiday is an enforced break and one that pays dividends when it comes to connecting with family, friends and community. According to clinical psychologist, Dr Anastasia Hronis, an extra day off can also have profound impacts on mental health.

“There’s the component of looking forward to it. People are talking about it and it’s a bit of a mark in the diary that can help punctuate a year. When we can break the year down into smaller chunks, it feels more manageable," she says. It’s also an incentive to escape the daily grind and go away for a few days. Because we know that an extra day off at home can often be overtaken by the odd jobs you haven’t had time to do during the week.

“Part of the mental health benefits of travel is the novelty. When we do something that’s new and novel, there’s an excitement to it and that activates dopamine in the brain – it feels good," Dr Hronis says.

A couple enjoys feeding lambs and goats at the Giving Farm on the Central Coast. — Reserving time in our calendar for new experiences, like feeding baby animals on the Central Coast, would be easier with another public holiday. (Image: The Giving Farm, Central Coast/Destination NSW)

“Having new experiences that are exciting and enjoyable is a healthy way to get that dopamine activation, which boosts overall mood and wellbeing. It’s much harder to activate dopamine in the daily grind.

“Dopamine is also activated not just when we do the pleasurable thing, but in the lead up, which is why planning the holiday is also enjoyable."

Dr Hronis and I are not the only ones who think an extra day off promotes well-being. The Legislative Assembly even has an ePetition calling for Fairer Public Holidays for NSW More Family & Community Time .

NSW residents can sign the petition, which states: “To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly. We, the undersigned petitioners, believe we should enjoy the same number of public holidays as other states. Currently, NSW has only 11 public holidays, while most others enjoy 12 or 13. NSW only has one public holiday between June and December. Public holidays are important days for communities to pause, for families to gather and for shared time to connect. Public holidays promote social cohesion. We ask the Legislative Assembly to call on the Government to introduce a new public holiday – ‘Family & Community Day’ to be observed in September each year – to promote the well-being and cohesion of our community."

Support of the regions

View of the outdoor bath at Elouera, a luxury tiny house at Sierra Escape in Mudgee — Another public holiday would mean time to book in a relaxing stay at Sierra Escape in Mudgee. (Image: Sierra Escape Mudgee)

The Mudgee region is on board with this; it has also launched a petition proposing an additional public holiday for NSW. Its research for the Mudgee Monday campaign reveals that 72 per cent of Australians want more public holidays – no surprises there – and 51 per cent support a nationally standardised public holiday count.

The flip side of the public holiday argument is that it’s too expensive for businesses. Staffing costs are up to two-and-a-half times higher on public holidays and many venues try and recoup that by adding a surcharge that spans 10-20 per cent of the bill.

A report by Money.com revealed that over the back-to-back Easter and Anzac Day long weekends, $24.6 million of the additional $98.4 million spent in cafes, restaurants and takeaway, went towards surcharges. But there’s a balance to be had. More visitors create more revenue – that $98.4 million is money that wouldn’t otherwise have been spent – and if those visitors are happy to pay the extra for another day off, then businesses win out. While the cost of living is high, most people recognise that those working while everyone else is off need to be compensated.

Elouera, a luxury tiny house at Sierra Escape in Mudgee. Meticulously crafted from a shipping container and offering unparalleled views. — Elouera, a luxury tiny house at Sierra Escape in Mudgee, is the perfect place to spend a long weekend away. (Image: Sierra Escape Mudgee)

Mudgee Region Tourism Chief Marketing Officer, Beau Kassas, says the economic impact of another public holiday is extensive.

“A third of every dollar spent in Mudgee is by a visitor and we know that on long weekends that third of every dollar nearly doubles," he says.

“Staying that extra day, being able to enjoy a whole afternoon and evening before driving home on the Monday is injecting more cash into the local economy."

The Mudgee Monday campaign also reveals that 57 per cent of Australians believe an extra long weekend each year would reduce burnout and stress. And the science backs it up. According to peer-reviewed research published in Nature Human Behaviour, employees who had a four-day work week with a full-time salary had better performance, physical and mental health and less burnout.

In July, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union pushed for it, citing that shorter working hours would result in productivity gains. While the NSW public service offers a compressed working week as part of its flexible working arrangements, where employees work the same number of hours a week, compressed into a shorter time period, it is not the norm across industries.

Less time doing admin and chores and more time getting outside. (Image: Girrakool Loop Track, Central Coast/ Destination NSW

I’m lucky that freelancing offers me flexibility and technically every week is a short one for me. But that day is not spent tending to my mental health, rather it allows time for life admin tasks that are just as demanding as paid work but aren’t seen as important enough to dedicate days to them; such as tending to elderly relatives, taking children to appointments and staying on top of the never-ending pile of washing.

Doing all of that outside the traditional 9-5 is stressful, especially for those of us squarely in the sandwich generation looking after small kids as well as ageing parents. A public holiday is a breather. A chance to stop and get off the carousel of the to-do list. And seeing that 47 per cent of Australians have taken sick leave for a personal break or getaway, you might as well make it official and plan for it with another scheduled day off.

What do you think? Is it time to even out the national number of public holidays for NSW?

The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.

Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.

Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.

Bathed in warm light, a couple watches the sun dip beyond the horizon. — Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.

Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.

Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.

Aerial view of Wilderluxe. — Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms

Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.

On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.

A couple gazes up at a sky ablaze with stars at Wilderluxe. — Sleep beneath the stars.

Style and character

When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.

Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.

The dreamy sunset at Wilderluxe. — Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining

‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.

Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.

Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities

While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.

The Gilay Lounge with the view of the lake. — Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences

No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.

Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.

Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.

Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.

A person kayaking through serene waters. — Paddle into peace.

The details

A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.

The interiors of the glamping tent. — Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.

Start planning your outback glamping adventure at wilderluxe.com.au.

NSW lags behind the national long weekend tally; we need to even it up