Liberals promise Hobart Archers Club funding for all-weather, all-ability archery facility

‘We just don’t have enough opportunities here for training and competitions:’ Why a Hobart Archers Club funding boost will make it a one-of-a-kind all abilities space.

Olympic hopeful archer Sarah Haywood and Hobart Archers committee member Rodney Cameron-Tucker welcome funding commitment from the Coalition for all-abilities indoor archery hub. Picture: Elise Kaine

Sarah Haywood’s first foray into archery was with a bow and arrow made from a stick and a shoelace she made herself at home.

She practised with her first proper bow and arrow at the age of 12 and has been hooked ever since.

The 26-year-old Midway Point resident narrowly missed out on being selected for the Australian archery team at the previous two Olympics, and she has her sights set on the 2028 LA games.

She said new facilities for Hobart Archers Club being promised by an elected Coalition government would mean she could stay in Tasmania year round and train.

Liberal candidate for Franklin Josh Garvin, Olympic hopeful archer Sarah Haywood and Hobart Archers committee member Rodney Cameron-Tucker. Picture: Elise Kaine

“My goal is to make the LA 2028 games and to do that I’ve had to travel to and live in Melbourne for the selection period because we just don’t have enough opportunities here for training and competitions,” Haywood said.

Hobart Archers Club committee member Rodney Cameron-Tucker said from now until October the club, which has 90 paying members, loses half of its shooting days due to rain.

He said the club also wants to build accessibility into its facilities to attract para-archers, including low vision archers.

This would make Hobart Archers Club the only Australian archery club with both para-archery and standard archery facilities, Mr Cameron-Tucker said.

Liberal candidate for Franklin Josh Garvin said an elected Coalition government would give the club $289,000 for them to build an all weather, all abilities indoor archery centre.

“We’ve got some great talent down here and this will allow them to train all year round,” Mr Garvin said.

Mr Cameron-Tucker said the new facilities would be built in the convenient location at Girl Guides Tasmania land Orana, which is adjacent to the club and allow the Girl Guides to participate and benefit from the facility.

He said the changes would mean the club would have all archery courses in one spot, and be able to attract national archery competitions.

26-year-old Mr Garvin is up against Labor’s Julie Collins, who has held the seat for 17 years, independent anti-salmon farming activist and former foreign correspondent Peter George, independent former Liberal member and current Clarence City Mayor Brendan Blomely and The Greens youngest candidate, Owen Fitzgerald.

An Enterprise Marketing and Research Service (EMRS) survey of 430 people released on Monday showed Ms Collins was polling well ahead of the other candidates, with 38 per cent of the primary vote. Mr Garvin has the next highest level of support at 19 per cent.

Mr George and Mr Fitzgerald are tied qat 13 per cent.

EMRS CEO Mary Massina said second place would be the most interesting contest in the seat, with the Liberals appearing to have lost votes to both independents.

“Perhaps of greatest interest in the seat at the moment is whether the Liberals, who

appear to be losing primary votes to both independents, are able to finish second on a

two-party preferred basis,” she said.