Target Sports

SHOOTING HOLIDAYS: NO WORRIES

Created on 14th May 2009

The land of kangaroos, koalas and the Great Barrier Reef also has some great shooting on offer. ANDREW HORTON reports on Australian ranges and competitions

Why Australia?

IT MAY be on the other side of the world, but Australia has many delightful attractions. If Neighbours or Home and Away has created your only picture of the country, be prepared for a pleasant surprise. If you are a nature lover, Queensland's coast has the famous Coral Sea and The Great Barrier Reef. Or fly to Kangaroo Island to get up close and personal with sea lions, koalas, and kangaroos. For your culture fix head to New South Wales. Here you can enjoy city life, Aboriginal heritage tours, and plenty of shops and restaurants. Victoria is the home to the world-class wineries of the Yarra Valley and a two-hour drive from Melbourne will take you to Phillip Island, the habitat of seals and penguins. Australia really does tick so many boxes for a cracking holiday.

Shooting snapshot

Australia has a huge land mass and shooting is split among the eight states and territories. Each holds its own state championships, or HM Queens Prize, and is affiliated to the national governing body the National Rifle Association of Australia (NRAA). This has a membership of over 6,000 target rifle shooters. Events take place all year round, but because of the travel costs and commitment it feels like eight separate countries! North Queensland and Tasmania receive around 100 competitors, whereas more central locations such as Brisbane and Canberra regularly exceed 300 entries.

In terms of F-Class, organisation is similar to the UK in that there are two types: Open and F/TR, with the latter limited to just .308 and .223 calibres. The NRAA has raised the weight limit on F-Class rifles to 8kg and trigger pull to 1kg. For Target Rifle (TR) you will see the usual Swings, RPAs and Barnards on the ranges, but some shooters still use the legendary Omark rifle made in
South Australia.

Australian fullbore teams are recognised as some of the world's best. In the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne they won gold in the individual (Bruce Scott) and silver in the pairs event (second only to England). The country is hosting the next World Long Range championships in 2011, including the Palma team match where Great Britain will be trying to defend her title. Over 1,000 are expected to attend the matches in October. The NRAA is currently developing a special 2011 website for those who are interested in attending these matches.

Ranges

There are hundreds of ranges across Australia, and they all differ in make-up and wind conditions. The best way to summarise is to take an imaginary trip through a shooting year. Starting in January, there's a real challenge to be had at Campbell Town in Tasmania. It can be breezy, and difficult to hold the rifle steady in 20mph wind at 1000yd. Victoria's Bendigo range was used in the Commonwealth Games, and in March it's very hot and dusty, but still worth taking on. Mackay in North Queensland in late April has gorgeous weather, benign conditions and green surroundings, but can be humid after rain. Into June, and the National Meeting is held in Brisbane (the equivalent of the Bisley Imperial Meeting). Again the weather is perfect, and the skill level of shooters is understandably high. The city's Belmont complex boasts every shooting discipline, and has 48 targets back to 1,000yd and 20 targets back to 1,200yd. As the spring approaches in September, Sydney's Malabar range has magnificent views of Maroubra Bay - it's easy to forget the complex was once used as a rubbish tip! Also in September you should try and get to Swanbourne range in Perth (Western Australia). It has two butt galleries, allowing short and long range to be held at the same time.

Finally, coming into November you could do worse than finishing up in Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). They have concrete mounds to shoot from and a fickle wind is particularly testing. You will feel very satisfied if you get your head around the conditions here.

Legal/safety

Firearm control laws in Australia are similar to those in the UK. The biggest problem is finding an airline that will give you carriage space - or even carry rifles at all. If travelling in small groups, Emirates and Japan Airlines allow extra luggage allowances for rifles - but beware, you will need expensive permits to travel via Hong Kong and Singapore. All firearms must pass through the Australian Customs Service, with appropriate permits (see below for details). Luggage could also be subject to inspection by the Australian Quarantine Service. When you're in, each state has different requirements for firearms storage but generally they must be kept in a locked room and out of sight. ACT requires the rifle case to be attached to the vehicle and the state of Western Australia requests shooters obtain a temporary visitors' permit.

First steps

Consider the climate you are happy shooting in. Australian summers are very hot and dry. And, don't forget, their summer is our winter.

Contact the NRAA to discuss your plans, timings and requirements. Email chair@nraa.com.au

For more information on permits accepted by the Australian Customs Service, go to www.customs.gov.au. The NRAA will also give you guidance on permits.

For information on the Australian Quarantine Service go to www.aqis.gov.au.

Thanks go to Catherine Berry, Executive Officer, National Rifle Association of Australia; Daniel Cotterill, Editor, Australian Target Rifle magazine; and James Corbett, Proprietor, Triple J Imports for information and images.