Ballot hunting: Blue Mountains
- Ballot for hunting the Blue Mountains Recreational Hunting Area.
- Choose from 23 blocks over a month
- $11.50 for a party to apply (pay online by card, non-refundable, includes GST).
- If you win, there are no fees for the booking and permits.
- Any blocks not claimed in the draw can be booked later for free, first come first served.
January ballot
Status: Upcoming
| Apply: | Mon 9 Nov 2026 - Tue 1 Dec 2026 |
| Draw date: | Sat 5 Dec 2026 |
| Hunt: | Sat 2 Jan 2027 - Sun 31 Jan 2027 |
July 2026 ballot
Status: Open for applications
| Apply: | Tue 31 Mar 2026 - Mon 1 Jun 2026 |
| Draw date: | Thu 4 Jun 2026 |
| Hunt: | Thu 2 Jul 2026 - Fri 31 Jul 2026 |
June ballot
Status: Winners drawn, waiting for party confirmations
| Draw date: | Tue 5 May 2026 |
| # of blocks/dates: | 299 |
| # of applications: | 20 (18 from NZ, 2 from overseas) |
If your party won a spot:
- The party leader was sent an offer by 6pm on the draw date, which they need to confirm. If they don’t see the email, they should check their spam folder.
- Once a party leader confirms their booking, party members will be sent a request to get their individual permits for the booking.
August 2026 ballot
Status: Ballot bookings confirmed, left-over blocks now available
| Book left-overs until: | Sat 29 Aug 2026 |
| Cost: | Free |
| Method: | First-come, first served |
| Available to: | All hunters (even if they won a ballot) |
May 2026 ballot
Status: Hunting underway
| Hunt: | Sat 2 May 2026 - Sun 31 May 2026 |
| # of blocks/dates: | 0 |
| # of applications: | 0 |
| Applicant success rate: | 98% |
April 2026 ballot
Status: Closed
| Hunt: | Thu 2 Apr 2026 - Fri 1 May 2026 |
| # of blocks/dates: | 0 |
| # of applications: | 0 |
| Applicant success rate: | 100% |