Member's Guide to ADF Pay and Conditions in Australia – see Disclaimer – check PACMAN for full details

9.5 Recreation leave travel

Recreation leave travel allows members to return to their home location to take recreation leave, if they are serving away from their home location. Your home location is where your nominated family live, if this is not the place where you work. Your nominated family could be your parents, your spouse or interdependent partner, your children or another person. It depends on your circumstances.

How often can you travel?

Navy	Anyone	Twice a year
Army	If you are posted to a seagoing ship that is not based in a remote location	Twice a year
Army	Anyone else	Once a year
Air Force	If you are posted to a seagoing ship that is not based in a remote location	Twice a year
Air Force	Anyone else	Once a year

Other issues

Travel is by the method determined under 9.1, Class, means of travel and baggage within Australia.

If you do not use your travel for Service reasons in the year it is due, you may be able to carry it forward to the next year.

Varying the travel

In some circumstances you may be able to travel to an Australian destination, other than your home location. You must still meet your family there. An example could be where you decide to have a holiday together rather than going home.

You may also be able to have family members travel to your work location, instead of you leaving it. You should get advice about the tax implications of doing this. (See PACMATE Part 3, Tax issues.)

In both these cases you will only be paid the amount it would cost for you to travel home and back.

If your nominated family live overseas you may travel to an international terminal in Australia. The terminal must be the nearest one that has flights to where your nominated family lives.

Application to Reservists:  No, except for Reservists on continuous full-time service.

Reference:  ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, Chapter 9 Part 4 Division 1

ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, PACMATE Part 3, Tax issues