CASE STUDY: TAKING THE GAMES
TO RURAL VICTORIA – WELLSFORD
RIFLE RANGE IN BENDIGO
There are over thirty rifle ranges in Victoria. The Wellsford Rifle Range in Bendigo
was chosen by the Victorian Government to host the Full Bore rifle event for the 2006
Commonwealth Games. This event will be the only gold medal event fully held
outside Melbourne.
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Location of VRA Rifle ranges (Map courtesy of VRA)
Why was Wellsford range chosen?
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The Victorian Government wanted to
take the Games into country Victoria,
and Wellsford was one of the few
country rifle ranges that could be
easily made good enough for
international competition.
Wellsford is not too far from
Melbourne.
The City of Bendigo has the
accommodation and other facilities
needed to host such an event.
The Victorian Rifle Association
(VRA) has offices at the Wellsford
range that will be useful when the
event is being run.
Let the Games Begin: A Fair Go © State of Victoria, 2005
Shooters on the mound
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CASE STUDY: TAKING THE GAMES
TO RURAL VICTORIA – WELLSFORD
RIFLE RANGE IN BENDIGO
What upgrade work was needed?
Improvement works, which began in July
2000, have included:
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an increase in length from 900 to
1,000 yards;
a slight change in the direction of
the range;
a new watering system;
extra firing mounds and targets;
the creation of fully-grassed firing
mounds;
the building of a pavilion.
The targets as seen from 300 yards away
In the interests of the environment:
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the nearby box ironbark trees have
been preserved;
local native animal species are
being protected.
The redevelopment of the Wellsford Rifle Range was the combined work of the
Victorian Rifle Association, the City of Greater Bendigo, and the Victorian
Government, which provided $800,000.
How did the local Bendigo community react to the selection of Wellsford
Range?
At first there was a lot of opposition because
of the poor image of shooting in the
community.
In time, however,
 many people accepted that shooting
was a proper sport;
 the local council saw that there
would be real benefits to the area.
The Victorian Department of Sustainability
and Environment was worried that
extending the range would
 cause the loss of a lot of box
ironbark trees;
 interfere with the local kangaroos,
which often moved through these
trees.
The problem was solved by turning the
direction of the range instead of extending it
straight on into the forest.
Let the Games Begin: A Fair Go © State of Victoria, 2005
Shooters on the mound. The forest can be
seen in the background.
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CASE STUDY: TAKING THE GAMES
TO RURAL VICTORIA – WELLSFORD
RIFLE RANGE IN BENDIGO
Here are some facts about rifle shooting:
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A bullet will reach the 1,000 yard targets in about 1.5 seconds.
Shooters need to aim six or seven metres above a target to hit it from that
distance.
A bullet that goes astray could travel several kilometres.
Here are some facts about the Wellsford range:
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The range itself is close to many small Bendigo factories.
The local airport is also close, and planes regularly fly over the range.
The road to the range runs past the target end of the range.
The dangers of stray bullets have led to some special local regulations:
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Shooters cannot load their rifles until they are on the shooting mound and just
about to fire. This rule forces shooters to undertake some special training,
because this is not the way they do things at other rifle ranges.
A ceasefire is called whenever a plane flies over the range.
These rules are enforced by range staff and by the Victoria Police, who are prepared
to close the range if the rules are broken.
In 1977 the Dja Dja Wrung / Whurung people lodged a Native Title Claim concerning
the State forest surrounding Wellsford Rifle Range. This claim has yet to be resolved.
The Commonwealth Games organisers have applied to the Department of
Sustainability and the Environment for a permit to use a small area of land between
the range and the road for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. This permit would ensure
that the event can go ahead even if the Native Title claim is settled before the
Commonwealth Games. The land occupied by the range is owned by the Victorian
Rifle Association, and is therefore not affected by the claim.
Have there been any dress rehearsals for the Commonwealth Games
event?
In March 2005, the Victorian Queens Prize competition, Victoria’s major shooting
event, was held at Wellsford Rifle Range. The competition involved around 300
competitors. Only 40 to 60 competitors are expected in the Games event.
Shortly after that event the Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships
were held at the range. Eleven teams from across the Commonwealth took part.
Commonwealth Games officials attended this event. The VRA used this event to
showcase the sport to the Games officials.
In late 2004, Bendigo hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games. The city therefore
had to provide accommodation for many competitors, officials and other visitors.
Many officials have now visited the area, and many more such visits are expected
before the Games.
Let the Games Begin: A Fair Go © State of Victoria, 2005
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CASE STUDY: TAKING THE GAMES
TO RURAL VICTORIA – WELLSFORD
RIFLE RANGE IN BENDIGO
What else needs to be done before the Commonwealth Games?
Some extra funding is needed to ‘clean up’ the course and for maintenance. The
VRA would like more publicity for the event, especially in rural Victoria. They believe
that this is a major opportunity for people from Central and Northern Victoria to view
a Games event and for the public to change their view of the sport.
What are the effects of developing the Wellsford range?
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The event should bring many visitors to the area during the Games. The
average visitor is expected to spend at least $160 per day while in the area.
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Media coverage of the event should attract even more Australian and
overseas visitors to the region, which has many other attractions.
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The redevelopments mean that Bendigo will have an international-standard
shooting range for many years to come.
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The VRA hopes that the sport will get plenty of good publicity, and that this
publicity will attract many more young people to the sport.
Let the Games Begin: A Fair Go © State of Victoria, 2005
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