I have read and heard a lot of really good stuff about Austrailia in the past, and always thought it would be a really great place to visit, or do a water buffalo hunt.

Over the past couple of years however, I have noticed that something has changed or appears to have changed down there.

Such as if a person wants to hunt down there, they are better off leaving their own gunss at home and using guns supplied by the outfitter. Whjy own guns if you can't hunt with them?

Alcohol, am I wrong or is Arnhem Land an Alcohol Free area????

No problem to take firearms to Australia with the right paperwork.

Not sure if the whole of ArnhemLand is alcohol free,but the area i hunted was.Alcohol ban is to save the natives from themselves.

Australia is one of the greatest countries on earth and a must do for every hunter.

Yeah look travel with guns is getting harder everywhere you go, even in the USA. Like TP said - it is no different coming to Australia... some paperwork and good advcie for dealing with the border. Nothing has really changed lately though. Airlines 'anywhere' are more likely to give you trouble that any govt department within Australia. for us we are happy to supply guns but if hunters would prefer to bring their own we do encourage it...

There are alcohol permits in Arnhem Land...

Thanks for the info. Austrailia always seemed like an interesting place to travel too. I was just curious about some of the stuff I had been hearing/reading over the past few years.

A friend and I hunted water buffalo in 2004 and 2010 in Arnhemland with Graham Williams of Australian Buffalo Hunters. Graham sent us the forms to apply for a firearms permit a few months in advance and we had no trouble taking our rifles. We flew on Quantas and had no trouble with them either. As I understood the rules, you need the firearms permit even if you are using one of the outfitters rifles.

We hunted on aboriginal lands, but Graham had a permit for alcohol in camp.

We got into Darwin a day early so we could recover from the jetlag. It turned out to be a good idea for another reason. One of my friend's rifle scopes got broken (the rifle was inside one of the heavy Pelican cases) but we were able to find a replacement in a gunshop just 2 blocks from our hotel. Darwin is also a good place to relax. If you want to spend some time there either before or after the hunt, there are opportunities to visit national parks or do some fishing.

I really enjoyed the hunts with Graham, the country, and the people.

I never noticed that it was any harder to get my rifles into Australia than to take them to the States. The forms had a few more lines to fill out, and pictures were required but nothing that would stop anyone.

Ironically, I had to apply for the American permit just to change planes on my way to Australia.

how about its spelt AUSTRALIA?

Lighten up mate. I think we know what he meant.

Australia is the most difficult place to bring guns into that I have hunted,, that being said,, it is just a lot of paperwork. Work with an outfitter like Matt Graham and a good travel agent like Steve Turner,, Travel With Guns,, and follow the rules! Many Americans think those rules by the airlines are just recommendations because they are seldom enforced here in the USA. When Quantas says the bags can only weigh a certain amount and carry ons are limited in size and weight they mean it! You must have a firearm permit before you can get a "hazardous cargo permit" from Quantas for your bullets, etc. And there are limits on how many bullets,{weight} wise that you can bring. Listen and hire a good travel agent and outfitter!
I hunted in arnhem Land in an alcohol free area and the camp did not have a alcohol permit,, no big deal to me but I knew there would be no alcohol before I got there, I also knew it was a "tented camp only" not an Africa type camp with a bunch of camp staff to wash and iron clothes, etc,, really a rough it type camp. If you think a Australian water buffalo hunt is easy or tame,,, book a hunt and get after it.

I can tell you that the Aussie's are a great bunch of folks, the hunting is Primo, the scenery is awesome, the hassal factor to get there is real but worth it,,, and if you think those water buffalo just fall over when you shoot at one,, think again. They soaked up 400 grain 416 rigbys like nothing I could ever imagine,,

Thanks for all the info and the spelling lesson, , one never gets too old to learn no matter how arrogant the teacher.

I have met several Aussie's and to a person they have all been really neat folks to be around.

My main reason for asking, deals more with just trying to get real information about getting into the country with a firearm, the issue over alcohol legalities.

As with other such undertakings, some folks make more out of it then what it really is.

We are 3 months out from our first Aussie buff hunt. There are 5 of us off of AR going together.

We are waiting our firearms permits to arrive back here in the States for our double rifles. They should be arriving soon. You have to have your firearms permits prior to leaving.

Also, vistitors visas have to be in hand as well prior to getting on the plane (ie. no getting it upon arrival in country). The travel agents took care of this.

Thus far, it has been a little bit more work than going to any southern African country but it really is not that difficult to figure out.

Sounds similar to some of the stuff that has been said about getting into Canada, whenin reality if people are to be believed the bigger hassle is getting back into ther states after the hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by Dogleg:


Ironically, I had to apply for the American permit just to change planes on my way to Australia.

Just out of curiosity Dogleg, what permit did you get to transit the U.S. on your way downunder??

Cheers,
Mark.

quote:

Originally posted by Mark R:

quote:

Originally posted by Dogleg:


Ironically, I had to apply for the American permit just to change planes on my way to Australia.

Just out of curiosity Dogleg, what permit did you get to transit the U.S. on your way downunder??

Cheers,
Mark.

Yep please tell. It is much harder to transit the USA on the way to Canada than Yanks to bring guns down under.

Just another heads up,, your firearm permit that you must have prior to leaving the US,, and prior to getting a harzardous cargo permit for your bullets from Quantas,,, is specific for the area, or the "state" into which you fly. I was going to arnhem land which is in the north eastern part so I flew into Brisbane because my gun permit was valid there,, it would not of been valid in Sydney so you can not leave the airport in Sydney with it or it will be confiscated. Little rules like that we never would even think of is why a good travel agent and outfitter is needed there...

No problem, it's the ATF 6NIA form.Its supposed to take 8-10 weeks to process but the two times I did it it only took 3 weeks.I faxed mine in to save snail mail time,and bought a Alaska small game licence on-line, per section 21. Maybe it's just my peculiar sense of humor, but I get a kick out of that section. The permit is free, they just stamp the same form you filled out and send in back to you.

http://www.atf.gov/forms/download/atf-f-5330-3d.pdf

While we're being picky, since the antics of last year the correct pronunciation of Qantas (no U) is Alf Garnet's 'Quaint-ahss'. But you can take guns with them, and once you get the bit of paper you're like James Bond for a year - able to have guns and travel any time.