If you have noticed here in Popular Airsoft, we have been posting about gel blasters, which are basically replica firearms that fire 6mm to 8mm gel balls or water balls using the same principles as airsoft. With some countries where airsoft are banned and classified as firearms, gel blasters are the alternative option, and thus airsoft players can have a low-cost alternative if they are unable to play airsoft.

In Australia, gel blasters are getting popular and we have seen videos from the Land Down Under of game fields showing people having fun skirmishing with their gel. But then, the issues encountered in airsoft such as gel blasters being displayed in public are causing alarm leading to police seizures and with Australia being a federation with of separate self-governing states and territories, they have their own regulations that what is legal in one state can be illegal in another unless the subject is of national importance.

This is the case of one resident in Tasmania in which he received a letter from the Tasmanian Police to surrender his gel blasters as he does not possess a firearms licence to own a Gel Blaster:

If you are a resident in Australia you will need to learn immediately if using a gel blaster (and other replica firearms such as airsoft) in the state you are in legal or not. As of this writing, it is gel blasters are legal in Queensland and South Australia. In New South Wales, it is still illegal although one seller of gel blasters in the state fought a legal battle for three years and won. Armoured Heaven’s owner, Brad Towner, had the charges against him dropped but has moved to Queensland to resume his gel blaster business.

It is still an uphill battle for many enthusiasts of airsoft and gel blasters in Australia, but things are moving forward such as efforts in Western Australia where airsoft has been debated upon in the parliament. Airsoft and gel blasters have a common purpose of promoting recreational shooting in a safe and controlled way that is highly suggested that proponents of such hobbies pool their resources and common effort to have these legalised nationwide.

Learn more about gel blasters in Australia in this video from TacToys: