Is the Belmont Rifle Range closing in 2018?

[Ben C]

There has been an article in our local paper regarding the 'Gympie Regional Council' pushing for land to open a Rifle Range.

Please see this link
http://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/loadframe. ... 12&ID=2606

I wouldn't be complaining if a range opened up near Gympie - as I live in Gympie these days .

Does anyone know what is happening regarding the Belmont Range ?

Regards
Ben...

[Cameron Mc]

I hope that bloke has his facts mixed up.

Ben, when I saw the title I thought of April Fools Day.

Pity the PC people have got everyone scared with this now, was a great tradition, once.

Cameron

[DaveMc]

WHAT THE _____??????

[DenisA]

G'day Ben

I've heard a lot of discussion about noise testing at Belmont lately. That and the fact that people have to write down their caliber when they sign in may be indicators of some government plan in the pipeline.

It would be great for Gympie, but a real shame for everyone around Brisbane.

[johnk]

Noise testing has been a regular fact of life at Belmont for as long as they've had the wherewithal to do so, but so has noise mitigation. I suspect that as we become more interested in the more assertive calibres for FO, fly & 1000 yard bench, we'll be faced with a greater imperative to contain the noise to our ranges.

The Gympie story sounds like wishful thinking, particular with the recent realignment of political preference in Queensland.

[AlanF]

...The Gympie story sounds like wishful thinking...

We've had similar things going on in Vic. The seeds get sown by some group with a vested interest. They think that if a few "important" people say something will happen, then it will - a case over-inflated egos.

Alan

[IanP]

Noise testing has been a regular fact of life at Belmont for as long as they've had the wherewithal to do so, but so has noise mitigation. I suspect that as we become more interested in the more assertive calibres for FO, fly & 1000 yard bench, we'll be faced with a greater imperative to contain the noise to our ranges.

The Gympie story sounds like wishful thinking, particular with the recent realignment of political preference in Queensland.

John, the noise issue is a difficult one to overcome and as the urban spread closes in on rifle ranges all over the country. Its time we as bonafide target shooters looked to change the rules to work in with our environment.

New Zealand allows the use of sound suppressors on rifles to reduce the noise for both the shooter (hearing damage) and the effects on the surrounding environment. Its time we enlisted the support of shooters Australia wide to address what is essentially a OHS and enviromental issue and petition for a change to the rules and law to allow fitting of sound suppressors for use in competition.

Ian

[DenisA]

Noise testing has been a regular fact of life at Belmont for as long as they've had the wherewithal to do so, but so has noise mitigation. I suspect that as we become more interested in the more assertive calibres for FO, fly & 1000 yard bench, we'll be faced with a greater imperative to contain the noise to our ranges.

The Gympie story sounds like wishful thinking, particular with the recent realignment of political preference in Queensland.

John, the noise issue is a difficult one to overcome and as the urban spread closes in on rifle ranges all over the country. Its time we as bonafide target shooters looked to change the rules to work in with our environment.

New Zealand allows the use of sound suppressors on rifles to reduce the noise for both the shooter (hearing damage) and the effects on the surrounding environment. Its time we enlisted the support of shooters Australia wide to address what is essentially a OHS and enviromental issue and petition for a change to the rules and law to allow fitting of sound suppressors for use in competition.

Ian

I was having a conversation on this topic with another prominent figure in the shooting world up here and I suggested the supressor thing. He made me aware that at Belmont, the sonic crack is just as much of a problem as the muzzle blast.

[Fireman_DJ]

It's MORE of a problem over distance.

I was shooting rabbits with a .22lr and a 12ga, guess which one the neighbour heard me using. Never heard the 12ga, but heard every shot from the .22lr.

Go figure...

[phillh]

I have just heard Hill Top Range is closed until further notice due to noise concerns!

Phill

[bartman007]

Ian,

I didn't realise the NZ crew have managed to get suppressors approved.

It would be an excellent thing if they were introduced in OZ. OH&S would be an excellent driver, as we all know that a lot of the older folk in our sport suffer from some hearing loss.

Where do we go to get the ball rolling? Any idea's.

After all, we can limit its use to purely rifle range use only. That may give us a better chance of getting it over the line!

[DannyS]

I watched a bloke using one on the short siberia range at Bisley, no ear muffs required, don't know what load he was using. He commented that OH&S is one of the reasons they get to use them.

I'm not too keen on the $1000 price tag though.

Could end up a bit like shooting smallbore, not much of a bang for the buck

[Cameron Mc]

I like to hear the bang, smell the burnt powder, etc......

I am old school and find this stuff very frustrating. A major road goes past Belmont, I am sure the constant traffic noise poses more noise and air pollution.

I see the whinge society slowly chipping away at our right to shoot and this just plays into the hands of the pollies.

Just my thoughts

[DaveMc]

I am old school and find this stuff very frustrating. A major road goes past Belmont, I am sure the constant traffic noise poses more noise and air pollution.

agree 100% Cameron - Those who have camped at Belmont will know how noisy the airbrakes on the Gateway are. They run all night as well. The first step in the noise battle would be to get some 4am readings on those!!

The range was there first!!

[IanP]

It's MORE of a problem over distance.

I was shooting rabbits with a .22lr and a 12ga, guess which one the neighbour heard me using. Never heard the 12ga, but heard every shot from the .22lr.

Go figure...

Interesting Fireman! I have a pistol range down the valley from where I live in a Adelaide hills town called Stirling. I hear the muzzle blast from the pistol range in Stirling all the way down the valley to Upper Sturt. I think if we got rid of muzzle blast from our rifles in sound sensitive areas it would get rid of a lot of the complaint.

A sound db meter is needed to accurately access both muzzle blast and sonic crack but I know everyone wears ear muffs on the firing line but only a few do while marking in the butts.

Ian