On a Sunday afternoon in April 1996, a single attacker armed with powerful firearms killed 35 people in the historic site of Port Arthur.
That horrific event nearly three decades ago, which ushered in some of the strictest firearm regulations in the world, can feel like a bygone age for many citizens.
However, the tragedy in Bondi this past Sunday, which resulted in 15 fatalities, has rekindled memories of the 1996 shootings.
A recent report revealed that there are now more than four million guns in private hands across the country – a figure that is roughly two times the amount from the late 1990s.
This means approximately one firearm per seven citizens.
While the state of Queensland has the most registered guns, followed by NSW and the state of Victoria, it is Tasmania and the Northern Territory that have the highest rate of firearm ownership.
The data also contradicts the common view that guns are primarily held by those in the countryside.
Firearms are widespread in urban centres, with a sizable percentage located in urban hubs.
Critically, there are now weapons owned by a smaller group, with the typical gun owner possessing more than four firearms.
Gun control laws in Australia are inconsistent across the country, with a disparate implementation of rules between different jurisdictions.
Typically, to obtain a gun licence, an individual must be over 18, deemed a "fit and proper person", pass a competency test, and provide a "genuine reason" for ownership.
The accepted reasons include hunting or culling, marksmanship, certain job-related needs, and collecting.
However, significant shortcomings remain. For instance, young people in some states can have access to a firearm from as young as 10 or 12 years old.
Following the Port Arthur massacre, a comprehensive reform of national gun laws was enacted, leading to a large-scale surrender scheme of over 650,000 firearms.
Rapid-fire weapons were banned, and background checks alongside delays for sales were introduced.
A key tenet of these reforms was the removal of "home security" as a acceptable grounds for gun ownership.
In the hours following the Bondi shooting, political leaders were unequivocal about the need to strengthen gun laws.
A country-wide firearm surrender program was announced, marking the most significant such effort since 1996.
Other suggested measures now under consideration include:
There are also calls for regular reviews of existing licence holders, acknowledging that "individuals can be radicalised" over time.
These swift actions have met with opposition from some quarters.
Pro-gun advocates argue that imposing caps would not have stopped an attack driven by radicalisation.
They suggest that resources would be better spent addressing root causes rather than tightening regulations for the vast majority of law-abiding citizens.
Furthermore, a key proposed reform from 1996 – a country-wide gun database – remains unfinished, though it has now been listed as a priority.
For campaigners, the Bondi attack is a stark warning that regulations must keep pace with new threats.
They argue that reform is needed to "keep up-to-date" and prevent future tragedies.
While mass shootings remain relatively rare in Australia compared to some nations, the potential persists, and the legacy of firearms circulating illegally – through black markets – continues to pose a danger.
As one advocate stated, "It's sad that it requires such a loss of life to get people to wake up and take notice."
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