Maryborough Rifle Range re-opening on target

Maryborough Rifle Range will today celebrate its official re-opening after an eight-year closure.
 
The 190-hectare site was transferred to the Fraser Coast Regional Council by the Department of Defence last March through an off-market process, allowing recreational shooters to use the site once again.
 
Fraser Coast Regional Council and Maryborough Rifle and Pistol Club jointly funded significant decontamination activities at the site, ensuring it is now free from lead.
 
With support from local businesses, the Club also renovated the premises, adding a new roof, external walls and upgrading targets to provide bullet-catchers.
 
Mr O’Brien said the transfer of the land was a good outcome for the Wide Bay community, and would enable the club to grow and generate new membership.
 
“This has been a long time coming.  The Maryborough Rifle and Pistol Club had been using the range since the 1960s, but were forced to leave the site in 2012.  After all this time it’s great for the Club and the community that the facility is open again.
 
“The transfer of Maryborough Rifle Range demonstrates the Government’s commitment to unlocking surplus Commonwealth properties for uses that support the Australian community, such as competition shooting which is a popular and long-standing activity in Wide Bay,” Mr O’Brien said.
 
“Having this facility re-opened will be a great boost to the region’s sporting groups and will attract recreational shooters from further afield, thereby boosting the local tourism economy as well.”
 
ENDS

Media Contacts:
For Mr O’Brien – Clementine Norton – 4121 2936