Gel Ball FAQ

Gel Ball Paintball:
Players must be aged 10 years and over on our field. Players under 12 will be provided with body armour but must hire a full face mask
Players under 18 will need a parent/guardian to sign off on their waiver
Gel blasters are classed as toy gun replicas
The projectiles are water beads known as gel balls
Blasters capped at 300fps
No maximum rate of fire for standard blasters. Capped at 20bps for HPA blasters.

Paintball
Minimum age to play is 15 years old
Players under 18 will need a parent/guardian to sign off on their waiver
Paintball markers are classed as weapons
The projectiles are paintballs
Markers capped at 270fps
Maximum rate of fire is 5bps

Session run on Friday evening 6.00pm to 9.30pm and on Sunday morning 9.00am to 12.30pm. A gel ball session goes for 3.5 hours, inclusive of 1 hour check in time

Once they’ve played a couple of games and the addiction has truly set in, lots of players end up buying their own gel blasters. Anyone is welcome to bring their own blasters and other gear to Spec Ops, provided it complies with our rules and safety standards.

• Blaster must shoot less then 300fps.
• We will chronograph your blaster.
• HPA blasters are allowed but must shoot less than 250fps and single shot only.
• Safety glasses must cover the entire eye and must be able to withstand a gel ball hit. No mesh eyewear is permitted.
• We understand there is a lot of different gel balls out there, so we run by a simple common sense rule, if you can crush the gel balls between bare fingers, it’s good to go! If you can’t, it’s too hard to use on our field.
• Players can bring their own torches, provided they are not too bright.

• Yep. Acceptable forms of ID are driver’s license, school ID, or passport.
• For players without a form of ID, a parent/legal guardian’s ID will be used against their waiver
• If you are hiring a blaster or any of the optional equipment, our ID will be held until the end of the session, when all the equipment has been returned.

We recommend booking in advance to secure a spot at a time that works for you. However, you’re also welcome to walk in to join a session. If you require hire, pre bookings are essential as we have limited number of blaster available for hire.

Gel ball is a fantastic sport for anyone! We make every effort to make Spec Ops a welcoming venue for players of any gender, every shape and size, physical ability and level of experience. Players must be aged 10 and over to play gel ball on our field.

• On arrival, you will need to complete a waiver if you haven’t done so online.
• We’ll check you in and assign you to a team
  You’ll have the opportunity to chronograph your gel blaster to make sure it shoots less than 300fps
• You’ll receive a compulsory safety briefing each time you play, each team will receive a scenario briefing based on the type of game you are going to play.
• Each gameplay is 2 – 2 1/2hours long, however each game can last between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on how the game scenario plays out. Some games may be played with adjusted lighting or no light.

Players are assigned to gel ball teams according to their level of experience, so your child may play alongside adults. Our highly trained and experienced staff will make sure everyone keeps safe, understands the rules and has an excellent time. 

Where possible, we aim to keep the group together. However, there are occasions whereby we might need to divide the group so that there is an even playing field for both teams.

• All players will need Photo ID.
• Enclosed footwear is also compulsory. It can get pretty warm on the field, so wear light, comfortable clothing.

Nothing they’re too fond of! We suggest people wear a light, long-sleeved shirt and pants. Enclosed footwear is essential.  Even though gel blasters shoot gel balls, we’re also a paintball venue and paint is everywhere. Although the paint is water soluble, we suggest you don’t take any chances!  Flight suits are available for hire.

Lockers are available onsite for hire

• Gel Ball can be thirsty work! Snacks and drinks are available to purchase at Spec Ops, including chips, chocolates, water, sports drinks, soft drinks and energy drinks. We’re also right next door to the Normanby Hotel, where you can grab a feed after the session.
• Alternatively, you are also welcome to bring your own food and drink. Please note alcohol and other intoxicating substances are prohibited onsite.

As we are a paintball field, you will most likely get paint on yourself and your gear. However, rest assure that the paint is water-soluble and the paint should wash away with water. However, please don’t wear anything you wouldn’t want to get stained, just in case.

Sometimes. When a player gets hit, it usually feels like a slight sting that fades quickly. It’s similar to a firm flick on the arm.

This depends on how trigger-happy you are! It’s entirely up to each person how many gel balls they go through. On average, each person uses between 5000 and 7000 gel balls per session.

We do not sell gel blasters, but we do have a small selection of gel blaster accessories available for sale.

Certainly! We have a large viewing whereby spectators can observe the game. There is also a screen with live footage of the session as the game is running!

Spec Ops is easily accessible by public transport, and we also have plenty of onsite parking available.

Driving directions:
You enter Spec Ops via 46 Kelvin Grove Road, just 5 minutes from the Brisbane CBD (less than two kilometers). We’re within walking distance of the QUT Kelvin Grove campus, behind the Normanby Hotel. We have plenty of onsite parking available

Public Transport options:
The Normanby Busway Station is the closest bus station. It’s located on the Inner Northern Bypass beneath the MA Howell Indoor Sports Centre at the Normanby Fiveways. There is pedestrian access via two arrival towers with stairway and lift access from Kelvin Grove Road.
Buses that stop here: 66, 325, 330, 333, 340, 345, 359, 390

Train
Closest train station: Roma Street train station (1.1 Km away)

While we have had players in wheelchairs play gel ball on our field, we currently do not have disability facilities.

We keep our prices the same for individuals and groups to keep things fair.

All bookings are non-refundable. We do not provide a refund, credit or transfer if you change your mind about attending. However, with the current levels of uncertainty due to COVID-19, we understand that plans can be changed at short notice due to government regulations. In the event that you’re unable to attend your session due to COVID regulations, we will reschedule your booking without penalty.  Bookings can be moved to an alternative date and time within 12 months. All payments and deposits paid will be held in credit.

We do not provide refunds to players that don’t show up.

Please refer to our refund & cancellation policy for more details

If they’re about gel ball or paintball, we can definitely help! Give us a call on (07) 3839 5134 or shoot us an email at [email protected]