Public meeting to oppose gun shop as Noarlunga City Pistol Club moves to defend the new shooting range

A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Adelaide’s south tonight for locals to air their concerns about a planned gun shop and indoor shooting range — even though the new business is a fait accompli.

LOCAL politicians will tonight host a meeting in Adelaide’s south for concerned residents to air their concerns about a new gun shop and shooting range.

Hundreds of local residents have reacted angrily to news of The Gunnery on Beach Rd, Christies Beach, which is due to open this month with a shooting range planned later in the year.

Onkaparinga Council approved the business late last year after it received no objections from 34 neighbours, within 60m of the shooting range, during a consultation period.

However, a 220-signature petition was lodged with Onkaparinga Council last month raising concerns about the “type of clientele” the business would bring to the area.

The petition was too late to stop the business being approved by the council, which had worked closely with the police firearms branch on the application.

Reynell MP Katrine Hildyard and Kaurna MP Chris Picton have organised a community meeting to hear residents’ concerns tonight.

“Both Chris and I have been contacted by many community members with questions and concerns about the business location and the proximity to the primary school and shops,” Ms Hildyard said.

“We need to listen to their concerns about the location and lack of consultation.”

The business is classed as a category 2 development, which means the public has no appeal rights.

Mr Picton acknowledges the community is now powerless to stop the shooting range from opening but said the meeting about listening to concerns relating to the council’s community consultation process.

“We can’t go off to the court to appeal t

Chris Picton says residents still have many questions.

his but I think there are still a lot of questions people want answered,” Mr Picton said.

“It’s a legal business and it has police permission, the issue is whether it’s the right spot to put it.

“I think there are still a lot of questions people want answered ... we’ve invited the chief executive Mark Dowd and local ward councillors.”

The meeting for residents within the immediate proximity of the gun shop is at the Worship Centre, on the corner of William Rd and Ramsgate Ave, Christies Beach, Wednesday, March 2, from 7-8pm.

Shooters move to ease fears

The Noarlunga City Pistol Club has moved this week to ease community concern over the gun shop and indoor shooting range — maintaining it will be safe.

Club secretary Karon Draggett said the club, in Old Noarlunga, was yet to have a deliberate or accidental shooting in its 38-year history.

“People don’t really understand how safe it is,” Ms Draggett said.

“The police are very strict and it’ll be very safe given the way the firearms rules are today.

“We’ve been here for over 35 years and we’re rather unknown because unless something major happens, you don’t hear about it.”

Ms Draggett has chosen to speak out after growing community concern The Gunnery, on Beach Rd, would bring undesirables to the area.

Onkaparinga Council approved the business after it received no objections from 34 neighbours, within 60m of the shooting range, during a consultation period.

“There are more people who own guns than the community would know about,” Ms Draggett said.

“If anything this will be good for the area and it will further the sport and people will be able to see that it’s competitive.”

Ms Draggett said the club’s 80 members would use The Gunnery to buy ammunition and components, rather than travelling to the nearest shop in the city or Victor Harbor.