Parties talk over Goulburn Rifle Range safe zone

The operations of Goulburn Rifle Club and the local branch of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSA) were put in jeopardy by the area, required by the NSW Firearms Registry as part of approvals. The former closed down as a result and the latter’s activities have been restricted.

As a neighbour, Goulburn Mulwaree Council had objected to the 1832 metre range danger area because its future landfill operations fell within the northern extremity. The zone is designed to ensure public safety and includes area within which danger to life, limb and property can be expected. The council said it would impede on a planned mud processing facility associated with the landfill and ground monitoring.

Tensions had inflamed between parties. But on Tuesday afternoon the council, NSW Firearms Registry, Goulburn Rifle Range and Goulburn SSSA met before the council meeting.

Councillors later decided they would not consent to the range danger area unless it could be shown it wouldn’t impede “current or future operations of council in delivering safe, accessible and efficient waste management and recycling services to the community.” 

But as a compromise, they suggested the Rifle Club could shift its shooting area south 275 metres so the council’s landfill land was not affected. Landfill monitoring could also occur on days that shooting didn’t occur.

Council general manager Warwick Bennett said the Registry still had to negotiate this position with the Rifle Club and approve it but it represented “considerable progress” on the previous position.

He was at pains to stress the council had a strong obligation to protect staff and the community, it was not the regulatory authority and was only being asked for approval of the area as a neighbour. In addition, he tendered a June, 2018 letter he wrote to the Firearms Registry supporting the Rifle Club’s view that a large hill between its range and the waste facility was an effective buffer to reduce the size of the danger area.

However, the Registry rejected this, saying there was a specific design requirement set down by the Australian Defence Department and this could not be changed. In a reply, the Registry’s senior range inspector wrote that neither the Department nor NSW Police considered the hill a “mitigating factor” and the one in question didn’t meet minimum height and gradient requirements.

Cr Leah Ferrara told Tuesday’s meeting the council didn’t want to shut down the rifle range, “just for everyone to be safe and happy and not lose life or limb.”

Rifle Club president Tony Weston said while it meant members were restricted to a 600m range instead of 900m, it was “better than having no range at all.”

But Goulburn SSAA  president Bill Irvine said the shift was not a solution for his club.

“It’s technically possible but it will involve a lot of work, engineering and cost...It would kill us,” he said.

He cited the need to excavate a new target area and to move infrastructure such as the clubhouse, amenities and some shooting positions away so there was no danger of bullet ricochet. Mr Irvine estimated a $500,000 cost to do so. 

He said he was disgusted that talks had centred on the Rifle Club and the SSAA had not been acknowledged. What worked for one was not an answer for the other, he argued.

Mr Irvine also called for more scientific analysis of a range danger area which considered topography, such as the hill, and activities. He said it was currently a “military construct” but expert studies undertaken for the Majura Road shooting range near Canberra had taken these variables into account, resulting in a more flexible range danger area.

“When it comes to an actual solution the only one for us and other rifle clubs is for them (the Firearms Registry) to get real on what is an actual range danger area, rather than drawing theoretical lines on a map,” he said. 

To this end, the Association has spoken to its peak body. But Mr Irvine said the studies would be costly and too risky to undertake unless the Registry gave some undertaking they might be accepted.

He pointed out it was not just his Association that was affected by the changes but NSW Police, Corrective Services and National Parks and Wildlife Service which used the Goulburn range for training and accreditation.

Meantime, the Association can still undertake shooting that doesn’t involve long-range firing. It plans to hold its Try Shooting Day on Saturday, October 28 as scheduled.

Cr Andrew Banfield said he looked forward to “positive discussions between all parties.”

“There’s been angst on social media and in the community. This is a compromise both ways and a step in the right direction,” he said.

A report on the negotiations will come back to councillors for their November 6 meeting.

Did you know The Goulburn Post is now offering breaking news alerts and a weekly email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: sign up here.