The handbell entered Australia and New Zealand during the 19^th to 20^th centuries through tours of several handbell teams from England and the emigrated handbell ringers with their own set of bells. As a result of these tours, many local handbell teams were formed. In 1983, a handbell team gathering was held in Sydney, and those gathered ringers agreed to form a handbell community to encourage handbells ringing in Australia, New Zealand, and neighboring regions. This community was later named the “Handbell Society of Australasia (HSA)”. At present, however, there are not many active handbell teams in this part of the world.