Canadian (or Cremorne) Rifle Range
1936 Map Showing the Rifle Range
and the Ballarat-Buninyong Railway
BALLARAT RIFLE CLUB
Ballarat Star (Vic.: 1865 - 1924), Thursday 16 July 1903, page 6
The annual meeting of the Ballarat Rifle Club was held last night at Craig’s hotel, Mr W. Owen (vice-president) taking the chair.
The alterations to the railway timetable have made travelling to Sulky Gully very inconvenient, as it is only by the loss of six or seven hours that members can attend the range. Add to this the curtailed privileges to riflemen by the State Parliament, and you have a state of affairs existing which is very detrimental to the club, and which has already affected the number of shooting members. To remedy this, it is imperative that a more convenient range should be procured; and in this direction your committee have surveyed; and I made application for a site situate off Eureka street. The Commonwealth officer has inspected the site, and as the land is within the reserves, it may reasonably be expected that the site will be granted. In the meantime, plans are being prepared for the future use of the incoming committee new targets and markers’ quarters' and the general improvement of the new range, to all of which your assent may be 'asked by special meeting, when a committee of ways and means should be appointed to carry these proposals into effect. In submitting this report, it may. safely be affirmed that, the club, although subject to. many disabilities, has ' well maintained its prestige, the shooting members have worked- hard to keep the interest going, and-your committee, although wishing for better facilities, have made every effort to minimise the difficulties, and-have only to ask that the incoming committee shall- receive the same loyal support ' accorded to themselves to ensure a prosperous and pleasant year.
NEW RANGE AT CREMORNE OPENED.
Ballarat Star (Vic.: 1865 - 1924), Saturday 26 March 1904, page 7
The Ballarat Rifle Club were favoured with a beautiful afternoon yesterday for the official opening of their new rifle range at Cremorne, consequently there was a large attendance, including many ladies, to witness the ceremony. For years past the club's range has been at Sulky, but this was found to be inconvenient for riflemen, on account of the distance from city and the lack of rail and road traveling accommodation. The new range meets the requirements of the club admirably-It is situated just at the end of the town boundary, and is in close proximity to the Buninyong railway line, the range, which cost the club 80, is up to 700 yards, with six second class targets to be supplemented by a group of three third class targets. Provision has been made for the erection of disappearing targets at some future time. The range ground was secured from the Government for the club by Mr C. C. Shoppee, MLA., .and it is the intention of the state Commandant (General Gordon) to form Ballarat into a local centre of rifle shooting, and to have matches held within the district embracing from 15 to 20 clubs. Amongst those present yesterday afternoons were the Hon. J. W. Kirton, H.L.A., niui Mr 0. 0. Shoppee, M.L.A., and Colonel Sleep. The president of the club (Mr W. Owen, in declaring the range open, heartily thanked Mr Shoppee, on behalf of the club, for having secured for it the range site from the Government. Mrs Owen, wife of the president, fired the first shot at the target, and a bull’s eye was signalled by the marker amidst cheers. Mr Shoppee, M.L.A., then briefly addressed those present. He assured the club that it afforded him great pleasure to have been of service to it, and he wished it every success in its future operations. Captain Turton also spoke. Refreshments were then partaken of in a marquee erected on the range, and subsequently a scratch match took place at the targets.
A STRAY BULLET HITS SEWING MACHINE.
Bendigo Independent (Vic.: 1891 - 1918), Friday 21 May 1909, page 3
BALLARAT, Wednesday, May 10.
Whilst rifle shooting was being indulged in at the Cremorne rifle ranges, Mrs. W. Shipley, the wife of a farmer living in the vicinity. had a narrow escape from being shot. She was in her home "working a sewing machine, when something struck against the iron roof and then against the machine, in front of which she was sitting. It proved to be a bullet, which had cut a hole through the roof, and had then passed in a downward direction over Mrs. Shipley's shoulder.) —
A RIFLE RANGE FATALITY.
Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854 - 1954), Wednesday 9 November 1921, page 12
BALLARAT PAINTER ACCIDENTALLY' SHOT.
Mr. Thomas Haymes, - painter and decorator, of Bridge-street, who was accidentally shot on the Canadian rifle range, Ballarat East, died in St. John's Hospital
at 12 o clock on Monday night. Deceased was with others ' engaged on Saturday last in rifle practice at the 500- and 600-yards distances. When the practice had been concluded Mr. Haymes, who was at the rear of the firing line, was seen to collapse, and on some of his companions going to his assistance he was found to be suffering from a gaping gunshot wound in in the right thigh. " The thigh was badly shattered by the bullet and deceased lost a good deal of blood before medical assistance' could be obtained. It is supposed that the accident was due to the accidental discharge of the rifle of one of the marksmen engaged at the ranges at the time. None of the riflemen, however. admit any knowledge of the fatal shot. The detectives are now investigating the tragic occurrence. It is regarded as possible that Mr. Haymes was struck by a bullet fired from a point some distance away. Deceased, who was 56 years of age. was a widower, with a family. He was a member of one of the oldest and best-known families in Ballarat.
RIFLE RANGE SOLD
BALLARAT COURIER JANUARY 9, 2002
RICHARD East has a photo of himself as a child, still in nappies, firing a .22 calibre rifle.
"My father was an instructor in the army," Mr East explained. "So, we always had guns in the house."
That childhood interest in weapons developed into a passion.
Now captain of the Ballarat East Rifle Club, shooting dominates Mr East's sporting and social life.
But on March 6 all that will grind to a halt when the rifle club he has been a member of for the past nine years and which is at least 160 years old, loses the Canadian shooting range, which has been sold by the Department of Defence to Mt Pleasant businessman Noel Dobbyn.
The Courier has reported the rifle range was set up in 1860, but club member Paul Murphy says he knows of a fob watch handed out as a shooting prize by the club in 1842.
Mr Murphy says the club's sparse records show at the dawn of the 20th century the rifle once attracted about 30,000 spectators for a single tournament.
Mr East says only a few years ago the club was one of the biggest in the state, second only to Bacchus Marsh.
The walls of the range's meagre clubhouse are adorned with trophies attesting the club's former popularity and include an impressive award cup donated by The Courier in 1922.
The closure of the range, and with it the club's long-range shooting wing - and possibly the entire club if a new short-range site is not found - kills any hope of Ballarat producing Commonwealth or Olympic Games distance shooters, he said.
Mr East says he will travel to Bacchus Marsh and Maryborough to shoot when he can, but the loss of the Canadian range will end most of his involvement in the sport.
"I feel disappointed," he said. "It's my three days a week social life as well as my main sport."
"It's not just shooting - we all go out together. For a lot of the older members it's their only activity for the week.
"For years my life has revolved around rifle shooting. It will have a big impact. I guess now on Saturday's I'll be looking for something to do."
Contour Plan of the Rifle Range: Note the proximity to the former Canadian Railway Station. (the road on the east side of the station is the aptly named Butt St!) The image has been edited to add text and clarity.
Researched and compiled by Andrew Parker September 2020
Updated 2023
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