OzFclass

Please see message from NSWRA office:

"Good afternoon,

Please be advised that the Firearms Registry has closed Mudgee Rifle Range, as of yesterday,due to Permissive Occupancy letters not being signed.

As a result of this closure, the Mudgee Easter Prize Shoot has been cancelled.

Please advise your members that the Lyndhurst Prize Meeting which was to be conducted on March 4 and 5, 2017, will noW be held on the Easter Long Weekend, on April 15 and 16, 2017.

Further information will be forwarded as it comes to hand.

Sue Schwebel
Adminstration Officer
NSWRA Inc
D/L 405125581
Ph: 9661 4532 "

Regards,

Phill

Some of you might be thinking it but I'm going to say it.

Mudgee was one of the few remaining Clubs that refused to accommodate F Open and I always struggled
with what to do at Easter. Inverell is just to much of a drive for a prize meet from Sydney.

Good on Lyndhurst for quickly picking up the ball, can't wait for Easter.

I voiced an opinion some years ago that the biggest threat to our sport is not lack of new members, but, the closure of ranges.
I am still of the same opinion.
I was last at Mudgee Range in 2014 and the sight of housing creeping up the left hand side looked to be a looming problem but when I spoke to a member, he said that they were 'rock solid' as the safety zone was all crown land.
With the NSW Firearms adjudicating on whether or not a Range is open or closed, no Range is safe.
Orange Rifle Club Range was closed because there was 'only' 100+ metres to the right to a road and the regulations needed 130(?) metres.
With a 100% safety record counting for jack shit the range was closed to centre fire( we could shoot rimfire from 600 yds though. .
The Orange Club was forced to relocate and it went to Eugowra
but due to distances involved, many members opted to shoot at
Lyndhurst.
At the first AGM, the relocated club did not have enough members to continue so merged with Eugowra.
A club that was founded in 1896, was still on the same site albeit adjustments, was used in the Second World War for army training( concrete machine gun blocks were still in the clubhouse along with a raised timber target rifle platform) . There are still grenade pits from grenade training.
It was once the premier Range in the Central West shooting from 900yds with 20(?) targets. Given the history of a Range it is of no consideration as there was not even an article on its closure in the local paper.
Vale Orange Range and Club, thank you so many great memories.
My apologies for sounding pessimistic, but no Range is safe in Australia unless the club owns the land 'and' the safety zone.
With privately owned land in many safety zones, it only takes one person to refuse to sign a Permissive Occupancy letter and the Range is consigned to history.
Do not take anything for granted with your ranges, they are the most targeted means of government firearms reduction agenda as many shooters use them to retain their firearms license.

Like Ben, I have been disappointed that Mudgee Range refuses to welcome my chosen discipline, F Open. I went there a few years ago when I was shooting F standard but I have not been back.... Lyndhurst is a great venue and has had its own share of template issues in the past and I look forward to supporting them at Easter. Its the perfect time of year to stay in the Golden West...

Hi all,

Attached is an updated flyer for the Lyndhurst OPM.

Note there will be a teams shoot on the Friday starting at 1pm.

Regards,

Phill