THE VICTORIAN MAGAZINE SHOOTEROctober 2016, Vol 18 No 5 MEET THE NEW FACES OF SSAA VICTORIA Buchan Range revamp revealed 3 Invasive species in the spotlight 18 Stemming the flow of black market guns 21 The official publication of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (Victoria) INSIDE THIS ISSUE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 7 COVER: Faces of 8 SSAA Victoria t’s been an exciting couple of months for shooters, Not just a number: Iwith SSAA Victoria 10 Ross Williams member Catherine Skinner winning the gold at the Rio DENIS MORONEY 11 Sambar found at Olympic Games. Catherine SSAA Victoria President Wilsons Promontory is still very young and the In other positive news, we 23 gold medal was her first were informed recently that 15 Shot in the arm for international competition SSAA clubs win. We sent Catherine a the Association and some 27 congratulatory letter and gift sub-clubs were successful in 21 Herald Sun gives on behalf the members. obtaining several grants. More shooters the bird information on those grants We have also been working can be found later in this 25 Juniors compete for closely with SSAA National, edition. I would like to thank Beretta and ACTA on the the prize our Facilities Manager Shaun #IMASHOOTER campaign. Doyle for his hard work in Many members will have seen 30 Around the traps: applying for those grants. Social photos the big billboard with Cath- erine Skinner while driving Since my last President’s along the Westgate Freeway. 32 Branches and sub- report I also attended the clubs news It was designed to encourage 30 Queensland AGM. This is a more people to try the shoot- huge annual event, which is ing sports. THE VICTORIAN combined with the State Con- On September 18 we held the ference. It was very interest- SSAA Victoria AGM at the ing to attend as a guest. Sandown Park Hotel. It was SHOOTERMAGAZINE Finally, SSAA Victoria a positive meeting and more The Victorian Shooter is a bi-monthly magazine than 50 people attended. launched its new website last of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (Victoria). Unit 3/26 Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill 3128 Please refer to the article on month. The project began page 25 for the results of the Editor and Graphic Design: Caitlin Pearson several months ago with our Board of Directors ballot. Also Marketing and Communica- Disclaimer: The views expressed in some articles and by some contributers are not necessarily those of I would like to thank outgoing tions Manager updating and Director Henry Rogers for his SSAA Victoria. rewriting all of the content on commitment to the Associ- Editorial deadline for the December edition of The the old website. The new web- Victorian Shooter is Monday, November 7. ation during his time on the site is very clean, professional Download The Victorian Shooter: This edition, Board. along with magazine archives, is available for and modern. download on the SSAA Victoria website at In the lead up to the AGM www.ssaavic.com.au the State Office released It was really important that we Email alerts: Keep abreast of shooting matters by its first professional Annual revamped our website to show subscribing to SSAA Victoria’s news alert system. the government, the opposi- Simply email the State Office on state_office@ Report. This took a lot of work ssaavic.com.au to subscribe. from the small State Office tion, the anti-gun lobby and Letters: Have your say in The Victorian Shooter. Email team. The document has the wider public that we were feedback or comments on current issues to the Editor been posted to all relevant a professional organisation. [email protected] State Government Ministers, Front cover picture: Two of the new Faces of SSAA shadow ministers, key in- We have come a long way in Victoria, Carl and Jacqui Wesley, who tell their stories in this edition. dustry partners and national recent years and methods of PICTURE: Tatjana Plitt supporters. communication are changing! 2 SSAAVIC.COM.AU SSAA’s East Gippsland Branch is preparing to officially open its Buchan Range on November 20. Buchan to blow the crowd away CAITLIN PEARSON Editor Victorian Shooter fter a year of major BEFORE revitalisation projects, the AEast Gippsland Branch is Buchan Range’s firing line before undertaking the development works. preparing to officially launch the to the range,” he said. “I get a lot of “We’ve got 15 to 20 guys wearing pe- Buchan Rifle Range on November people calling me saying they didn’t riod costumes,” Tim said. “We’ll have 20. know we had a range here so I want cannon firing and people can have a to get the word out there. go using old-style rifles, or look at the The process began about four years display items. ago when SSAA Victoria negotiated “We also want to make a celebration with the Victorian Rifle Association out of it and try to make it entertaining “We’ve also got a trading table and to take over the range. The landown- for everyone who comes along.” some people are bringing goodies er - the Department of Environment, like cupcakes for sale. We’ll have a sausage sizzle sponsored by Jeff Land, Water and Planning - has since Shooters and Fishers Party MP Bourman. So there will be plenty to given the East Gippsland Branch a Jeff Bourman will officially open the look at and do.” 10-year licence of the property. range, but the real spectacle will be the cannon – one of two at the event – Since being granted the 10-year Branch President Tim Brooking said which he fires to mark the opening. licence the branch has worked hard more than $34,000 had been spent to build the range up to its current on improvements at the range and People in re-enactment costumes will standard. The backstops required it was time to share them with the carry out black powder demonstra- tions for the crowd, while a marquee rebuilding and massive earthworks membership and the wider public. were undertaken to level the range will be set up to display various fire- as much as possible. “The main aim of our official opening arms from WWI, WWII, the American day is to introduce the local area Civil War and the Napoleonic Wars. CONTINUED PAGE 4 SSAAVIC.COM.AU 3 DURING Buchan Range’s firing line after installing conrete benches. RIGHT: The new water tank being installed. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 two toilet blocks and a water tank. We will allow all-weather access to the plumbed them into a septic system so target frames for range users. “Then we put in a concrete slab at we now have male and female flush- 500m for the firing line, installed con- ing toilets and clean drinking water In the future the branch will focus its crete firing benches and in August under pressure on tap.” attention on boosting security and we installed a cover over the firing improving facilities for range users line to make it all weather,” Tim said. The branch – which has 1000 mem- who want to camp the night before bers – also planned on gravelling the shoot days. “Two containers were obtained and main road in to the range office and put side by side with an area in be- undertaking draining improvement “We’re going to be working on the tween covered by a shelter pod that works. Levelling and gravelling at the picnic area,” he said. we purchased with funds from an East previously muddy 25m, 50m, 100m, Gippsland Shire grant. Then we got 200m, 300m, 400m and 500m marks CONTINUED PAGE 5 NO MATTER THE SEASON, TIME OR CHASE, WE HAVE ALL THE GEAR IN ONE PLACE. GUN STORAGE AVAILABLE ON SITE. Exclusive supplier of Europe’s favourite hunting brand. 220 COOPER STREET EPPING VIC 3076 | GAMEHUNTER.COM.AU | [email protected] | PH: 03 9401 3308 4 SSAAVIC.COM.AU AFTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 in attendance was the introduction of a mid-week shoot. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A roof was recently “We’re going to be putting showers built over the new-look firing line to make it ‘all in the toilet blocks and we’re getting weather’. The completed firing line. The new male Tim said competition shooting and females toilets. The shelter pod that was hot water for that. We will also set up installed between two containers at the range. would be introduced next year. The bollards back from the firing line to stop access by vehicles as well as “ultimate plan” is to have the range some near the office to stop vehicles open three or four Sundays a month getting there.” for target shooting, competition, fly shoots and black powder. The improvements have already had a positive impact on attendance at Tim also acknowledged the SSAA the range, with numbers increasing Victoria Board and State Office for 10-fold. Contributing to the increase their generous support. Farmer Assist in Victoria SAA Victoria will launch the Farmer Assist Program at Sthe Elmore Field Days from October 4 to 6. The Association will use the event to educate farmers on the benefits of using volunteer SSAA members for pest control. The fully online platform allows farm- ers and land managers to post job ads when they require help with pest and feral animal control. Developed to be simple and easy to use, farmers only need to complete a quick and simple A screenshot of the SSAA Farmer Assist jobs board, which is the hub of the program. A farmer process to register and then gain will post an advertisement on this portal and members can apply to that ad.