SSAA Para Branch

South Australia Club Profile

Shooting began at the SSAA Para Range on February 9, 1969, and since this time, the range has grown to include more than 450 members. Para’s first President, Jarvis Langford, together with Bill Hambley, George and Orial Francis, George Barnes, Gil Hartwig, Les Tomkins and Colin Matthews were among the organisers of the first shoot. Today’s membership includes more than 30 juniors and many female shooters. The club has a real focus on fostering juniors into the shooting sports and offers a reduced membership fee of $10 for these members, with SSAA South Australia covering the cost of junior membership.

Para currently hosts ISU Pistol, Western Action, Practical Shooting, Handgun Metallic Silhouette, Air Rifle and Pistol, Benchrest, Field Rifle, Rimfire Rifle Metallic Silhouette, SSAA 3-Positional, NRA 3-Position, Field Shotgun, Lever Action Rifle, Cowboy Lever Action, Combined Services Rifle and Pistol, Muzzle Loading/Black Powder Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun, Single Shot Rifle, NRA Target Pistol and even Archery. There is also a Collectors Club operating at Para. The disciplines are shot on the main rifle range out to 275m (300 yards), but the club also has a 100m range, a 50m range, 25m pistol range and an indoor 10m Air Pistol and Rifle range.

In the past, Para has been involved with the ‘Life. Be In It’ campaign and organising ‘come and try’ activities with different organisations to increase awareness of shooting as a sport. Scout Groups, TAFE SA and Parks & Wildlife regularly take advantage of the facilities and security groups use the range for training.

A number of national championships in all Rifle disciplines and NRA Target Pistol have been held at Para. Events from the Australian Masters Games have been hosted by Para, and Field Rifle competitions for the Trans Tasman Games have also been hosted by the club.

The Para Range welcomes new members and aims to be an active and family-oriented branch. The range is open seven days a week, except Christmas and the morning of Anzac Day. It is situated just 30 minutes north-east of the Adelaide CBD.

For contact information check the state branch list here.
This club profile was published in Australian Shooter December 2010.