All
A member of the NRA advised me that he recieved a letter from the club stating the range at Malabar is to close before the end of the year. If this is true is would be a great loss to sporting shooters, this range has been used by recreational shooters since 1850.
Has anyone received one of these letters or have a link which confirms the closures and the reasons why?
As I understand it applies to all users of the range area, including but not limited to the SSAA, the pony club and other receational clubs. The letter claims that there is Asbestos contamination on the site and requires millions of dollars to clean it up. If true this will affect many of us indeed.
Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of the letter but was told by a reliable source, I will have him post more info if he can.
Regards
Dave
Here is a copy sent to members.
Looks like NSWSARIA are ok at this point as they have a clause that they be relocated to another suitable venue - Maybe!
THE NEW SOUTH WALES RIFLE ASSOCIATION Inc
ESTABLISHED 1860
29th APRIL 2011.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS OF N.S.W.R.A.
C.c. ALL CLUBS AND DISTRICT ASSOCIATIONS AFFILIATED TO N.S.W.R.A.
FROM: N.S.W.R.A. CHAIRMAN – John Fitzgerald.
SUBJECT: TERMINATION OF LICENCES TO RANGE USERS OF ANZAC
RIFLE RANGE MALABAR.
Yesterday, Thursday 28th April 2011, I had a meeting with the owners of the Anzac Rifle
Range Malabar ( i.e., The Commonwealth) represented by Adrian Kirk of Dept of Finance
and Deregulation and Trevor Abbott (Assistant Director, Property Branch) in my office at
Anzac Range.
At this meeting I was informed by Adrian Kirk that under the Licenses granted to Range
Users by the Commonwealth for occupancy of Anzac Rifle Range, the “Notice of
Termination” had been issued to the following users in accordance with aforementioned
License Agreement. The termination date effective on the 31st October this year (2011).
1. Drummoyne RSL Pistol Club.
2. Malabar Riding School.
3. SSAA.
4. Sydney Model Aero Club.
NSWRA and NSW Small-Bore and Air Rifle Association are at this point in time unaffected
by these termination notices due to a relocation clause included in our license.
I was advised by Adrian Kirk that the Commonwealth was in consideration of appointing a
Consultant to act in co-operation with us with the end result of identifying a suitable alternate
site for us to continue our shooting activities.
The termination of activities of the aforementioned users has been brought about on the
advice of Comcare and the direction of the Special Minister of State, Gary Gray, due to the
continuing contamination of the complex by asbestos and the obligation by the
Commonwealth to implement a “Remediation Action Plan” to manage the contamination.
Further meetings with the Commonwealth are anticipated in the short term to determine our
future. I will keep you all fully informed as we move in that direction.
Post Office Box 386
MAROUBRA NSW 2035
Tel: (02) 9661 4532
Fax: (02) 9661 6042
info@nswra.org.au
The New South Wales Rifle Association Inc.
PO Box 386, MAROUBRA, NSW, 2035 Ph: (02) 9661 4532 Fax: (02) 9661 6042
Member - NSW Sports Federation Inc Member - National Rifle Association of Australia Ltd.
Proudly supported by the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation
Regards
Dave
If this letter below is correct then the NSWSARIA clubs that use the range will also be affected. Just 6 months to vacate!
================================================================
Dear SSAA Range Instructors.
The Sydney Branch Committee would like to keep you informed of the recent events at Malabar. There is some misinformation being circulated, if you have any questions please call one of the Committee members or call the Secretary 9349 4323. Below is a brief summary of the meeting with the Commonwealth last Thursday morning. Sydney Branch is looking at all the possible and logical responses to the current situation, everything from mounting a legal challenge to the purchase of an alternate site, suitable for all our disciplines.
Adrian Kirk (Commonwealth) Department of Finance and Deregulation was contacted, at short notice a meeting was arranged at Malabar Rifle Range. Trevor Abbott (Assistant Director) also accompanied Adrian Kirk.
1. Malabar Range will be closed on 31st October; the Range will be vacant on or before 31st October 2011.ALL Range users must be off the Range by this date.
2. The reason given, Comm. care reports provided to the Government indicated that the Range is a health hazard due to asbestos deposits and other dumped chemicals. All range users were at risk and could take legal action against the Commonwealth Government for Asbestos related diseases.
3. Comm. Care wanted the range immediately shut down, the Commonwealth is following the terms of the Range Users Rifle Range Licence which requires a six month notice, all licences will terminate on 31st October 2011.
4. To Remediate (Clean Up) the range requires 200 to 300 million which is not currently available in the Government purse, it may take 6 to 10 years before the work is started or completed. When it is completed and safe for open space usage to the standard required by Comm. Care OH&S, it will be handed or sold to the State Government. No guarantee that Rifle shooting will be permitted on this site when it is handed to the State Gov.
5. Provisions stipulated by the Commonwealth to the State Gov, in return for remediation of the Malabar site, there will not be any building or commercial development allowed on the site in the future.
6. Asbestos covers many areas of Malabar Rifle Range, it rises to the surface when the soil is wet, asbestos soil has been moved around the range (NSWRA) therefore contaminating non dump areas.
7. Briefly remediation requires removing 150mm of soil; if no asbestos is found then a soil cover of 500mm to 1m needs to be placed over the top of the previously contaminated soil. If Asbestos is found then you keep removing 150mm sections. In some areas they estimate several meters of contaminated soil.
8. A suggestion that the SSAA Bench rest range was covered by concrete at the expense of the SSAA was rejected, as the surrounding and access areas are contaminated according to the claims of the Asbestos experts.
9. The Commonwealth Government will be building tailing dams and establishing wet lands to stem the flow of the sub terrain water and the polluting chemicals contained in this water. Run off onto Maroubra beach and Malabar bay will be stopped.
10. The question was asked of the DOF&D representatives, “NSWRA hangs it hat on a claim that they cannot be moved unless an alternative site was provided for them, will that take place”. The reply was No.
11. The Commonwealth have been instructed DOF&D to facilitate and provide assistance in moving the Range Users. DOF&D were asked to define what the Commonwealth defined as “facilitate”, the reply was that it was not exactly define to DOF&D, but it did not mean building a new range somewhere. DOF&D stated that they did not own a site in the metro area that was suitable for a Rifle Range.
12. DOF&D did state that they would look at any submission by a range user to facilitate a move to an existing range, perhaps to the extent of expanding existing facilities.
13. DOF&D suggested that any submission to the Commonwealth should offer the solution and not the problem.
14. Submissions should be prepared, Commonwealth/DOF&D will look at any proposal we submit.
15. Holsworthy Range has been rejected; Military do not want civilians on the site.
16. DOF&D expect a legal challenge and a court injunction to be served on the Commonwealth, it appears they are confident that due to the Health issues it will fail.
17. Sydney Branch needs to provide range access to the large membership, travelling more than 1 hour will not be attractive to the membership.
18. All proposals need to be considered; the purchase of a new site or management of an existing facility needs to be looked at seriously. Some of these sites may require modifications to accept all of the SSAA disciplines.
19. Perhaps the silver lining in this cloud of doom is that our actions today will set us up for an expanding and bright future.
Cheers
Sydney Branch Committee
================================================================
Regards
Dave
Surprised no one repsonded to the closure of the Malabar ANZAC rifle range, I don't shoot their myself but thought this would affect many of our shooters. I know the RBA guys use the facilities over there and have already herd some of the F class shooters say they will not be re-joining their club (NSWRA) as they will have to travel further to a different range. Would like to hear other shooters thoughts if it affect you or your thought on how the government can close a range with a stroke of a pen because of whats in the ground. ie Asbestos
Could the same be said that other ranges are bad for our health because of the lead levels?
Regards
Dave
Dave
I’ve only shot there once in a rba match, I really felt a sense of history about the place and it will be a great shame to see it closed to all the clubs that use it, it would be wonderful to see the site heritage listed, as we know once it’s closed it will forever cease as a rifle range
About a year ago I did a ssaa range officers course there and got a bit of insight as to the running of the place. Which leads me to answering as to possibly why that no one has answered this thread, it’s the politics on the site. One day was enough for me and reading recent threads on another site just confirmed this, I praise all those involved for keeping it together as long as they did.
cheers
Sorry I cant say much at the moment, but I am SSAA Sydney Branch President, and I can assure you that everything possible is being done to resurrect the range.
Rob.
BB Administrator
Thanks Rob for posting
I think you would have the support of every shooter in the Sydney branch in fighting for the range to remain open or atleast to be relocated while work is being done to clean it up. There is not much else place to shoot over that side of the city and would be a long way to Honsby or Silverdale for many of the shooters. We all know once the federal government hands it to over to the NSW government then the land will be sold to a developer for a housing estate. They will say they needed to cover the cleanup costs or something similar. Even the local don't want the extra traffic that a new housing estate would bring, so you have their support as well. I am sure the other clubs are working hard to see what can be done as well, the politics at the range may have to be put aside while we all fight this one.
Dave
Good day guys......We have the same problems up here in Toowoomba. The ADF have closed the Mt Lofty range down due to so called "safety" concerns. Same as Malabar, Mt Lofty is a military range. As with Malabar, we have several clubs shooting on the big bore and small bore ranges. Meeting are in progress to reopen the rangers. Was word maybe June/July. But..........
Kevin
Gatton
Gatton Glenore Grove Rifle Club..QRA..NRAA
Queensland