Rocket launcher one of 57,000 firearms handed in during gun amnesty

Almost 2,500 automatic and semi-automatic weapons have been taken off the streets as part of a national gun amnesty last year.

A rocket launcher was surrendered in Queensland. Source: Department of Home Affairs

More than 57,000 illegal firearms - including a rocket launcher - have been taken off the streets as part of a national firearms amnesty.

The National Firearms Amnesty 2017 Report was released on Thursday by the Department of Home Affairs, revealing 57,324 firearms had been recovered from across Australia.

The Queensland rocket launcher. Source: Department of Home Affairs

Almost 2,500 fully and semi-automatic weapons were collected as part of the amnesty.

"Taking these unregistered firearms off the streets means they will not fall into the hands of criminals, who might use them to endanger the lives of innocent Australians," Minister for Law Enforcement Angus Taylor said in a statement on Thursday.

"The next step of our ambitious agenda is passing our legislation that cracks down on gun trafficking."

Firearms were handed in across Australia. Source: AAP

The amnesty ran from July 1 to September 30 2017, with an average of 630 firearms handed in per day.

The report listed a rocket launcher as one of the "items of interest".

"A rocket launcher was handed in in Queensland. The licensed firearms dealer to whom the item was handed in believes it was once recovered at a local tip," the report said.

Additional reporting: Nick Baker