The Bondi Beach terror attack has become Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years. Here is a timeline of major attacks.
Australia was rocked on Sunday when a gun attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney left at least 12 people dead and many wounded, an assault that quickly became the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades and a stark reminder of the limits of its once‑rigorous gun laws.
Below is a timeline of major mass attacks that have tested Australia’s image as a country largely protected from mass shootings, from the Port Arthur massacre to the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Gunfire at Bondi Beach (2025)
Emergency services first responded to reports of shots fired at 6:47 pm (0747 GMT) at Bondi Beach, one of the biggest tourist draws in Australia’s largest city. The shooting took place during a “Hanukkah by the Sea” event, which police said was attended by around 1,000 people.
As gunfire erupted, crowds fled in fear from the beach in eastern Sydney and police descended on the area.
One of the alleged shooters was killed, and the second was in a critical condition, police said.
In addition to the 11 killed, emergency responders rushed at least 29 people to local hospitals.
Police declared the shooting a terrorist incident, adding they had found suspected improvised explosive devices near the beach in a vehicle linked to the suspects.
Wieambilla ambush (2022)
In December 2022, two police officers and a civilian were killed in a deadly ambush on a remote property at Wieambilla in Queensland. Officers had attended the property to investigate a missing persons case when they were shot by residents armed with high-powered weapons.
The attackers were later killed in a police operation. Investigations found the perpetrators held extremist and conspiratorial beliefs, sparking renewed focus on radicalisation, misinformation, and the risks faced by frontline police in rural settings.
Darwin mass shooting (2019)
Darwin was shaken in June 2019 when a gunman, recently released on parole went on a shooting spree across multiple locations in the city, killing four people and injuring another. The attacker was apprehended alive after a police chase. However, the authorities ruled out terrorism, describing the attack as opportunistic and random.
Margaret River shooting (2018)
In May 2018, police discovered the bodies of seven people, including four children, at a rural property near Margaret River in Western Australia. Investigators concluded the incident was a familicide followed by suicide, the country’s worst mass shooting since Port Arthur at the time.
The tragedy drew attention to domestic violence, firearm access in rural areas and warning signs that can precede family-related mass killings, even in a country with strict gun laws.
Sydney siege terrorist attack (2014)
In December 2014, an armed man claiming extremist motivations took hostages inside the Lindt Café at Martin Place in central Sydney, turning the heart of the city into the scene of a prolonged siege. The standoff lasted more than 16 hours before police stormed the café, resulting in the deaths of two hostages and the gunman.
Port Arthur massacre (1996)
On April 28, 1996, a lone gunman carried out Australia’s deadliest mass shooting at the Port Arthur historic site in Tasmania, killing 35 people and injuring 23 others. The attacker opened fire on tourists inside and around the former penal colony, triggering a nationwide shock that permanently altered Australia’s relationship with firearms.
The massacre led to sweeping gun law reforms within months, including a nationwide buyback of semi-automatic weapons and tighter licensing rules. These changes are widely credited with sharply reducing gun-related mass violence in the decades that followed.
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