Australia Travel With Firearms - Share Your Prior Experiences

[UpNorthMI]

I'm traveling next month with my son for a large and mixed hunting trip to Australia, we have our Australian Firearms Permits, Import Permits and have completed our online electronic travel authorizations. Our arrival point is Sydney at 6:30am on a Thursday, with a connecting flight on Jetstar Airways at 8:25pm to Darwin.

I'm looking for any comments on the arrival process, how were the Aussie customs guys with firearms, any input on flying with Jetstar with firearms / ammo?

We have a nearly 14 hour layover in Sydney, it would be great if we could "dump" our firearms and get out to see a little of the city, anyone managed to do similar?

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Hi mate,
Just a couple of notes from the Australian side....

If you're flying Jetstar, make sure you have the Qantas group dangerous goods approval letter via their Website to carry ammunition. It's quick and easy to do.

Secondly, assume that 90% of your check in staff will have never handled a firearm, so allow extra time and patience for that. Normally we have to almost assist them through the process.

Finally, to leave your firearms somewhere, they'd have to be stored at a licensed dealer, which is not really feasible in the circumstances unfortunately.

Enjoy your trip! What are you hunting and where??

 

[dailordasailor]

I did Australia last year.
-don’t wait till last minute to get your visa
-I flew Qantas and United so didn’t have any extra paper stuff until leaving Australia and lady at desk was super helpful with getting it done with no issue
-hope you already have rifle permit for your stay? Like a legit id card with start/end date. As we were leaving their customs gave me a hard time because it expired the end of that day but I was in airport going back to US. So wasn’t a real issue but if you get a delay or anything could be headache quick.

-we had layover for 12hrs or so. Picked up rifles and went to on site hotel and got some sleep. No issue rechecking and no weird looks from hotel staff

 

[UpNorthMI]

Hi mate,
Just a couple of notes from the Australian side....

If you're flying Jetstar, make sure you have the Qantas group dangerous goods approval letter via their Website to carry ammunition. It's quick and easy to do.

Secondly, assume that 90% of your check in staff will have never handled a firearm, so allow extra time and patience for that. Normally we have to almost assist them through the process.

Finally, to leave your firearms somewhere, they'd have to be stored at a licensed dealer, which is not really feasible in the circumstances unfortunately.

Enjoy your trip! What are you hunting and where??

Tim,
Thanks for your comments mate. I have just reached out to a licensed firearm dealer (gun stores) in Sydney that are located close to the airport to see if they would take our firearms for a day. I'd really like to get out and see a little of the city.

We just got our firearm and import permits and will get on the Quantas group dangerous goods approval letters.