The Range Development Project started on September 12, 2012, in Boorowa NSW, on the South West Slopes.

Suitable land was found and an agreement struck with the farmer/landowner and the project kicked off.

Council DA approval was granted in March 2016 and the Firearms Registry had indicated approval in principle in February.

The task of fundraising to commence construction was set up and you probably saw our GoFundMe which raised enough for the basic construction.

There was a major delay due to the continuing rains over winter '16.

In the mean time an application had been submitted to Sport and Recreation for extra funding.

When notification came through that we had received our grant I returned to the farmer to inform him and ask for a photo op with the local member handing over the cheque.

I was gutted when he told me that he was withdrawing his consent.

The Anti Gun/Anti Fun people had gotten to his wife and she actually believed we would be shooting at the grandchildren with 303's  while they rode their dirt bikes through the paddocks.

They were also concerned that the "Lebanese Bikie gangs would come down from Sydney to join the club and take over the club".

Seriously, you just can't make this up.

The farmer was forced to side with his emotionally challenged wife.

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So, the project has now moved to ALL shooters purchasing our own land on which to site a range.

A site has been found, the land agent contacted, and initial conversations with the council involved have been favourable. But I must carry out more due diligence.

Site attendance, mapping, GPS, Council meetings, and more, all need to be done.

Christmas is upon us and everyone shuts down, but I'll continue working behind the scenes so in 2017 we can hit the ground running.

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Merry Christmas everyone. ... Watch this space.

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UPDATE: Dec23, 14:30

A phone call from the Town Planner offering very positive results.

Unfortunately nothing will now happen until after the New Year when everything returns to normal.

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UPDATE: Jan 07. 2017

Expecting contact with either the vendor or the land agent to arrange on the ground inspections sometime after Jan 09 when they return from Christmas holidays.

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UPDATE: 18 Jan, 2017

Attended the acreage yesterday with my wife. Temperature was 45oC so it was fairly uncomfortable out of the vehicle. Looked over several locations and determined where the range/s could be situated, took photographs and GPS readings. The site looks promising.We then met with the Town Planner of the Council and discussed the Range Project and he gave us some pointers of how to proceed.

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UPDATE:

Attended with another club member and visited the adjacent landowners (the ones we found at home)

Varied responses, but general acceptance of the idea once we explained that we are responsible shooters.

 

UPDATE:

I have spoken with the vendor/land owner and he has agreed to sign off on the Development Application for Council for the construction of a shooting range.

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UPDATE: 8 Jan, 2017
Council DA posted and paid for. This will not get into a council meeting for determination until their April meeting at the soonest.