SSAA Sarina Branch

Queensland Club Profile

What used to be a railway siding at the base of Mt Funnell in Queensland is now the home of the SSAA Sarina Branch. Local shooting enthusiasts have been congregating at this site since 2002.

The club was originally started under the name Pioneer Valley Pistol Club and was located at Grasstree Beach in Sarina. In 1992, the name was changed to Sarina Pistol Club. Ten years later, the property was sold and the club had to relocate. It chose a large wooded area dwarfed by Mt Funnel at Riley Road in Mt Christian, and joined the SSAA two years later. There are currently 72 active members: 62 men, eight women and two juniors.

The club has three ranges, a 50m, 150m and a shotgun range, the latter of which is receiving a face-lift. There is an undercover shooting shed and a large clubhouse, with showers and toilets currently under construction. A second set of toilet facilities exists in the carpark. Despite a lack of electricity, the site offers members and visitors a beautiful place to set up camp.

During the past 18 months, the club has undergone major changes. All of the existing buildings have been erected in that time by the club’s members during working bees. Renovation plans include doubling the 150m range and adding a new 100m range.

The club caters for a number of disciplines including Service Match Pistol (centrefire and rimfire), Mini-Service Pistol (centrefire and rimfire), Shotgun, Single Action, Benchrest, Metallic Silhouette, Lever Action, Air Pistol, Air Rifle, Smallbore and Black Powder.

Each year the club holds its main event, the Anzac Memorial Shoot, which it has been contesting with the Moranbah Pistol Club for the past 25 years. In April this year, the two clubs celebrated the shoot’s silver anniversary. The weekend included a Smallbore Rifle and Lever Action Metallic Silhouette shoot on Saturday, followed by a sausage sizzle and a ‘sleepover’. On Sunday participants took part in a Service Match and a Shotgun competition, and enjoyed a barbecue lunch and an awards ceremony in the evening.

The club that scores the most points during the weekend takes home a much-prized ‘shield’. This year’s event was won by Sarina, with a score of 1484 to Moranbah’s 1263. Since the shoot’s inception, the Sarina Branch has won the shield 11 times.

During the weekend, life membership was granted to Mervyn Turner, one of the club’s four original active members. The other three, who are also life members, include Chris Woodhead (Secretary since 1989), Les ‘Sandy’ Woodhead (Treasurer since 1989) and Reg Jenner (Vice President and past President). The current President is Ed Rogash.

Regular shoots are held every Sunday starting at 9.30am, with two different disciplines shot each weekend. Visitors are welcome and after a day of shooting, are encouraged to take advantage of all this area has to offer by visiting neighbouring Sarina or the beautiful coastal city of Sarina Beach.

For more information contact: Chris Woodhead on 07 4956 6191 or email sarinapistolclub@hotmail.com