Thread: Queensland Firearms Laws...

Bit of a generic query but shifting over to Aus for a while and would like to do some hunting there. From what I've read it's a 1 day course and some money to get a FL. My confusion lies around what is legal. Suspect my 2 bolt rifles will be fine but my shotgun is a semi. Looks like semi auto, regardless, is a class "C". Anyone have any input on if a generic firearms license would cover that or is so onerous that I may as well get an O/U?

From memory semi-autos are an absolute bastard to get. Have to comply with special conditions AND be a primary producer or specialist (pest destruction)+. They have even got antsy big time over rapid fire lever action shotguns. They could be banned of they aren't already.
extract from the queensland firearms license page-I would suspect NSW is even harder:

Firearms licence

This is the most common type of weapons licence held in Queensland. It allows you to possess and use single shot or manual repeating rifles and shotguns (categories A & B). Genuine reasons for a firearms licence include sports and target shooting or occupational reasons (for example, if you work in primary production). It’s possible to possess a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun (categories C & D) under a firearms licence, but you will need to provide strong evidence for your genuine reason to possess these more powerful weapons.

Note the comment about more powerful weapons lol. This is where our police rhetoric is coming from-almost guarantee it.

Getting a QLD firearms license isn’t that hard , but it does take some time .
You have to complete a 1 day safety course and then wait for Police clearance etc etc , you will also need to join a recognised organisation like SSAA .
They are in no hurry to process your license, I suspect they purposely drag their heels.
You then have to apply for a permit to acquire, but that process has speed up lately it used to take 3 weeks or more but it seems to be down to a week or less now .
Your wasting your time thinking about your semi , forget it is my advice .
I would also do some major research about the legality of entering Australia with your firearms without an Australian license.
I’m not sure about what is involved with a temporary visitor license, so I can’t advise you on that .
Also be aware that QLD has very few public hunting areas , so you need access to private property to hunt and you need a letter from that landowner to legally hunt that property .
How long are going to be in OZ ?

Stop using the word weapon. It’s a firearm. Do you call your car or the fork you eat your dinner with a weapon!!
It makes you sound like the PM

@omark I didn't per se, that is a direct cut and paste from the QLD police website. Their words not mine.
I also hate seeing the word harvest in the aussie shooting magazines. It is the politically correct alternative to" hunt" to help justify firearms ownership to the gun unfriendly masses.

Originally Posted by Ground Control

Getting a QLD firearms license isn’t that hard , but it does take some time .
You have to complete a 1 day safety course and then wait for Police clearance etc etc , you will also need to join a recognised organisation like SSAA .
They are in no hurry to process your license, I suspect they purposely drag their heels.
You then have to apply for a permit to acquire, but that process has speed up lately it used to take 3 weeks or more but it seems to be down to a week or less now .
Your wasting your time thinking about your semi , forget it is my advice .
I would also do some major research about the legality of entering Australia with your firearms without an Australian license.
I’m not sure about what is involved with a temporary visitor license, so I can’t advise you on that .
Also be aware that QLD has very few public hunting areas , so you need access to private property to hunt and you need a letter from that landowner to legally hunt that property .
How long are going to be in OZ ?

Reminds me of me experiences.

You can join SSAA ahead of going there. That's what I did before moving to Vic many years ago. Trouble was SSAA then gave me dud advise re license requirements ie I could sort out once arrived and SSAA membership would help.

This was in the days pre Internet. I was also pretty naive.

Well, on arrival the Federal Police seized my 2 rifles! Additionally they were sent off to testing labs for function and safety testing.

The Federal Police gave me the option of sorting a Vic license or re exporting my rifles back to NZ, at my cost of course. I had to apply for a Vic firearms license which in those days fortunately the process wasn't too lengthy. The state cops were amused by my dilemma but helpful.

All that was back in the days before Port Arthur and their current FA laws.

Im in QLD. Firstly as the fellas above said. All semi-autos and pump shotguns banned. There are extremely limited licences issued for some, usually security, trainers and primary producers/farm owners( and they have to jump through a lot of hoops). If its any consolation a large range of lever action shotguns on the market here now, adler, uzkun, pardus, IAC etc, all legal. Bolt actions, muzzleloaders, lever guns and bizareely pump action rifles are all okay. Pistols are a separate licence, anyone can get one, but can only be fired on pistol ranges, no hunting or plinking out bush.

As to QLD licence
1. 1 day safety course at the range
2. Apply online for licence. You will need to provide proof of ID, safety certificate from the course, shooting club membership and/or permission from a landowner to shoot. (You dont need to have written permission from future landowners for all future shooting, you just need the first one for the purpose of getting the licence> one of the gunstores here., cleaver firearms actually sells permission letters if you need one, legally) declaration of adequate storage safe, passport photos.
3. Upon recieving your licence you submit a PTA( online form) to obtain the gun/s you want, or want to bring on your licence
4. The first PTA may take 28 days( cooling off period) after that 1-2 weeks. When it arrives you need to get a gun dealer to broker the gun purchase/transfer between individuals

Thats about it

Buying ammo- need to show licence, no limitations on qty.

The last thing about QLD. worlds largest quantities of feral pigs, donkeys, scrub cattle and a range of other stuff. Should be a shooting paradise. The downside, crown land is all protected national park now. If you want to hunt it has to be on privately owned land. Which there is plenty of, cattle staiton land exceeds the size of most European countries. But it can be a bit of mucking about getting your foot in the door. You basically need to network, make friends at ranges etc to get invited on.

Originally Posted by Ground Control

Also be aware that QLD has very few public hunting areas , so you need access to private property to hunt and you need a letter from that landowner to legally hunt that property .
How long are going to be in OZ ?

Correct on the land situation. Except you dont need written permission to hunt properties, just verbal. You do need written permission from one landowner to get the licence in the first place. Its pretty ridiculous as you may never hunt that guys actual property anyway. Its just a licencing embuggerance the cops added to the process, to prove you have genuine interest in the licence.

@sixtus I also heard a nasty rumour years ago that if a landowner signed too many permission slips to let people shoot, there was the potential with the wrong copper to get asked why they should have their license if they go so many to shoot there.

Havent heard that one csmiffy. I know Cleaver firearms in Brisbane sells permission letters online to shoot on their outback property and they must process thousands of these. For whatever reason the cops have no problem with it, they are used to seeing cleaver's letters come across the desk with licence applications. That is a very large property though, thousands of hectares.

The whole process is such a waste of time since once you have your licence you can shoot anywhere that is legal without written permission or telling the cops about it. I cant even remember which property I put down for my licence, in fact I may have bought a Cleavers letter in fact. Since then its just verbal with farmers to hunt.

Cheers guys. Unsure how long I'll be there so doing the full move. Doing a quick visit in Jan so will make the needed inquiries. Will check out the Brizzy recommendation when I'm there. Looks like I should be finding a new home for my Benelli then ��

Friend of mines in QLD and I'm looking after his benelli too.
And his other stuff.We're looking to ship them over soon hopefully.
The NZ export permit is painless fyi

Originally Posted by HuntGatherRepeat

Cheers guys. Unsure how long I'll be there so doing the full move. Doing a quick visit in Jan so will make the needed inquiries. Will check out the Brizzy recommendation when I'm there. Looks like I should be finding a new home for my Benelli then ��

Did that in 2003 and returned 2013. I tried the smaller places, Cairns and Hervey Bay mostly. The think that stood out most was how soon a town can be built into a city. I tried Telstra contracts and Security ( even wore a CZ 9mm pistol to work). Telstra contracting was the most lucrative, but was it great to get back to NZ! Daughter decided to stay over there and she's been an unmitigated success, it's not for everyone though. The best of luck.

Originally Posted by HuntGatherRepeat

Cheers guys. Unsure how long I'll be there so doing the full move. Doing a quick visit in Jan so will make the needed inquiries. Will check out the Brizzy recommendation when I'm there. Looks like I should be finding a new home for my Benelli then ��

If you need more info prior or during your trip feel free to PM. Im in cairns region but lived in Bris about 10 years.