Thread: Ashburton Rifle Range: CLOSED

Hi Guys,

I'm passing on an email I received on Sunday from the President of ARUA to any members who might be on the forum.

Good evening,

I received the attached letter today from Department of Conservation raising serious concerns about the safety of our range. We will do everything possible to ensure the land is kept as a rifle range, however, while this is being properly investigated we will need to temporarily close the range.

Please pass this message on to all key-holders, that under NO circumstances shall anyone use the range until otherwise notified by myself. Eric, do not lend out the key to anyone.

We urgently require documentation from NZDA, Blackpowder, NZ Antique Arms and Pistol Clubs referring to their national policy on range inspection/safety and what modifications to the range would be needed to comply to those. We are also working on the NRA aspects. The existing Police Manual he refers to has a danger zone behind the butt stop, we need to modify the range so that the range becomes a no-danger area range (because of the cycle track). Any suggestions or ideas to assist in this process would be appreciated.

I realise this notice will result in inconvenience to clubs and individuals, however the sooner we close this, get on with fixing this the more chances we have of retaining the range in the long term.

Hopefully the committee & DOC can resolve this issue so Ashburton doesn't lose it's 700 yard rifle range.

Cheers
Sas

Disappointing to here and sadly going to be an ongoing issue nation wide.

Yes, unfortunately that's the way things are headed. Every range across the country seems to be an "annoyance" to the community one way or another.

Clubs & members need to start getting verbal so we don't lose well established ranges like the Ashburton one.

Get them to contact Bob McMillan at North Auckland NZDA, he used to certify ranges around the country.

I would like to know who was there first... I bet the range was. Unfortunately in the age of political correctness and gun oponenets, gun ranges are an easy target (no excuse for the pun).

Thanks Dogmatix, Bob would be a good person to talk to.

Yes, the cycle track came second so big thumbs up to the council for that move.

I've passed that on to John Snowden the president of ARUA about Bob McMillan thanks

I'd possibly be politely suggesting the council ask "Whose idea was it to put a cycle track past the butt of a rifle range, And would they like a cycle crossing over the nearest Airport runway?" It would clearly need barrier arms and flashing lights so the Aircraft know when the crossing is in use......

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

Yes, the cycle track came second so big thumbs up to the council for that move.

I've passed that on to John Snowden the president of ARUA about Bob McMillan thanks

Exactly the same thing happened to the Taupo Gun Club ( clays). The club was all well set up over a period of 20 odd years & then the council or the Dept of Corruption allowed a Mt bike track to be put in behind a line of tall trees waaaaay out in front of the DTL traps. Waaaaay out of shot fall range too. Then the PC brigade & the anti gunners started going on about safety of the bikers!!!! I don't know what the club's current situation is, but there were rumours of the club HAVING to move!!!

Funny how airports don't get moved when people complain about aircraft noise,eh???? Slight issue of double standards

Originally Posted by top gun

Funny how airports don't get moved when people complain about aircraft noise,eh???? Slight issue of double standards

Oh there was noises about Taieri airport....

Taieri Airfield was gifted to Dunedin City in the early 1930s by the Aeroclub to be held in trust for as long as the airfield was required.
Since the then Trustees have sold off part of the gifted land and a number of other underhand activities to try and get their hands on the land for industrial use.
Including allowing housing developments right up to the airfield boundary.
Neighbours complaining about noise coming from the airfield will eventually force it to close down.
Courts will always take the side of people who complain that their health is being effected by noise from their neighbours regardless of who was there first.
Existing user rights will not protect you from being closed down.
Ashburton Range needs to be VERY vigilant and not take councils word for anything. Get EVERYTHING in writing.!!!!!!

Great news on the re opening!!

https://www.facebook.com/AshburtonRifle/ just liked their page will have to go up for a look soon.

I doubt that the range (Ashburton NRA?) lacks a current certification. Over the last year or so the NRA has had a team of certifiers doing the rounds. The 3 ranges that I shoot on were all re-certified last year. Various minor defects were initially identified and corrected and the certifiers revisited and signed off. With some deaths of some key people over the last couple of years there has been a shortage of NRA certifiers but that has been/is being addressed by training new people. I know the SI was affected by this. I cannot comment on the use of the range by other shooting organisations though and whether the NRA template covers all users. This is all assuming that DOC have picked up on a certification issue which is not normally their area. However, any safety issue can potentially close a range certified or not.

I learn t to shoot there, cycleway / walkway came long long long after.

As far as I am aware the range was "gifted" to the people of Ashburtonand if the council want to shut it then they have to find a new site with all the costs that entails for them.
I think this is what could be an issue, I hope it stays open, its very handy for the locals

Originally Posted by mikee

I learn t to shoot there, cycleway / walkway came long long long after.

As far as I am aware the range was "gifted" to the people of Ashburtonand if the council want to shut it then they have to find a new site with all the costs that entails for them.
I think this is what could be an issue, I hope it stays open, its very handy for the locals

If it is where I think it is I am amazed how close it is to the town.
And finding new sites is just about impossible now due to the non PC nature of rifle shooting plus the biggee of resource consents let alone just finding suitably oriented land. And don't expect the local councils to pay for much especially when a whole lot of rate payers will get upset about money being spent on what is viewed as a minority sport. If it was to relocate a Rugby field...... So, range closures are usually the death of a local club. One exception is the Hawkes Bay club which are now up and running again after getting kicked off Roy's Hill a few years ago. Hope the Ashburton issue (whatever it is) is easily resolved.