In short
- Queensland's holidays this season: Christmas Day on Friday 25 December 2026, Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December with an extra holiday on Monday 28 December, New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027, and a part-day holiday on Christmas Eve evening.[1]
- Rentzy's published holiday closures: Friday 25 December 2026 (Christmas Day). Pick up before a closure and return after it.
- Normal hours otherwise: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
- You can book up to 180 days ahead and need 24 hours' notice, so book holiday dates early.
- Never leave children, older people, people with disability or animals in a parked car, even briefly.[5]
Which days are public holidays over Christmas and New Year?
The Queensland Government publishes the dates under the Holidays Act 1983. For the 2026–27 season they are:[1]
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Eve (part day, from six in the evening to midnight)[1] | Thursday 24 December 2026 |
| Christmas Day[1] | Friday 25 December 2026 |
| Boxing Day[1] | Saturday 26 December and Monday 28 December 2026 |
| New Year's Day[1] | Friday 1 January 2027 |
| Australia Day[1] | Tuesday 26 January 2027 |
Boxing Day falls on a Saturday this year, and the Act adds an extra public holiday when Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day lands on a weekend, which is why Monday 28 December is a holiday too.[1] The state school summer break runs alongside all of this, from Saturday 12 December 2026 to Tuesday 26 January 2027,[2] so the holiday season stretches well beyond the days in the table. Our school holidays guide has the rest of the 2027 calendar.
Is Rentzy open over Christmas?
Public holidays and our closures aren't automatically the same thing, so check our dates rather than assuming. If you have a question about a specific day, ask through the contact page before you book.
How do you plan pickup and return around the holidays?
- Find the last open day before you need the car. Collect then, even if your trip starts on a closed day; the car is yours from pickup.
- Find the first open day after you're back. That's your return date, unless you're happy to return earlier and lose the days in between.
- Remember the weekend. We're closed on Saturday and Sunday as usual, so a closure next to a weekend can make the gap several days long.
- Book the rental to cover the whole gap, so you're never trying to return the car on a day we can't take it back.
Each car has its own minimum rental, shown with the car (from 4 weeks to 6 weeks). If your plans grow over the break, extending is covered in extending a rental or returning late; ask well before a closure, while we're open to answer.
How early should you book a car for Christmas?
We rent from one yard in Hendra, so there's no other branch to fall back on when holiday dates fill. Bookings open 180 days ahead of the pickup date. The latest you can book is 24 hours before pickup, and with closed days in the mix, the first pickup time open to you may be later than that.
Compare the car types on our cars page, choose dates that sit inside our hours, and check what you'll pay before you confirm. Flying in for the holidays? If you land on a day we're closed, plan to collect the car on the next open day; Brisbane Airport to Hendra covers the taxi and train options to reach us.
What do police focus on over the holidays?
The Queensland Government describes Operation Mistletoe as an annual statewide road safety operation, run with the Queensland Police Service over Christmas and New Year. For 2025–26, Operation X-Ray Mistletoe began on Saturday 13 December and ran across the whole holiday period, targeting speeding and impaired driving, with thousands of roadside drug and alcohol tests planned.[3] The Government's statement framed it around the Fatal 5 and noted that 289 lives had already been lost on Queensland roads in 2025 by that point.[3]
One difference from other states: Queensland doesn't switch on double demerit points for holidays. They apply all year, to a second or later offence in the same group within 12 months.[4] The points and fines themselves are in speeding fines and demerit points.
- Plan the drive home from parties before you go: a designated driver, a taxi or public transport.
- Break up long trips with regular stops; see long drives and fatigue.
- Check QLDTraffic for crashes, congestion and flooding before you leave, and use its future-travel view for planned roadworks and events.[7]
How do you keep people and pets safe in a hot car?
Summer is when this matters most. The Queensland Government's heat advice is plain: never leave children, older people, people with disability or animals in parked vehicles, even for a short time, and never leave animals unattended in one.[5] Its advice for families adds: keep children away from hot cars and don't let them play with car keys or remotes.[6]
- Take the keys with you every time you get out, and keep the remote out of small hands.
- Check the back seat before you lock up, especially when the routine is different, as it is on holiday.
- Carry water for everyone on longer drives.
Bringing a dog along needs our consent first; pets in a rental car explains how to ask.
Sources
- Queensland Government (qld.gov.au): Public holidays (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Department of Education: School holidays and term dates (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Ministerial Media Statements: Christmas road safety blitz to target dangerous drivers (11 December 2025) (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Department of Transport and Main Roads: Double demerit points (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government (qld.gov.au): How to keep cool and stay hydrated (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government (qld.gov.au): Caring for children in hot weather (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Department of Transport and Main Roads: QLDTraffic road condition information (read 23 October 2026)
Written by the Rentzy team at Rentzy Car Rentals. Rentzy prices, fees and rules in this guide come from our published terms and update with them; rules set by others (roads, tolls, licences, transport) are from the official pages above, as read on the dates shown. Something out of date? Tell us.
