Both supporters and opponents will have to wait to hear the final outcome of Bermagui Sporting Clays' proposal to increase the number of days it holds shooting events at its clay target range.
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At Bega Valley Shire Council's meeting on Wednesday, April 10, the club applied to have an additional 12 shooting days per year for safety training at its site outside Barragga Bay - on top of the 12 competition days it is already approved for - as well as the flexibility to hold a state shoot event on one weekend during the year.
Fourteen deputations were presented on the issue with passionate arguments made from both sides, but the matter was deferred for a site visit by the councillors after they heard reports from neighbouring residents of the amount of noise produced by the range's shoots.
Bermagui Sporting Clays club official Nev Brady said a lot of "blood, sweat and tears" had been spent over the Murrah River Rd site, which they were only able to use for 12 days a year.
He said if you sat at the Mimosa Winery during a shooting event you would only hear gunshots as "background noise" and for Four Winds to be affected by noise there had to be a "howling south westerly".
Four Winds' executive director David Francis spoke against the proposal and said council's noise restrictions his organisation adhered to meant it was unable to program certain types of music and could not promote its venue as a place for hire as it could not produce noise over an ambient sound level in the bush.
Mimosa Winery's Glenn Butson was concerned about the impact of lead pellets on the environment as well as the toxicity of clay targets.
Mr Brady said by providing an extra 12 days for training it would allow youths looking to learn to shoot to do so in a safe environment.
A 15-year-old member of the club - which used to be called Bermagui Field and Game - said when he first started four years ago he was "thrown in the deep end" as there were no training days to start him off.
Friends of Five Forests representative Lisa Stone said the "proponent's letter shows a complete disregard for compliance" and "a two page letter is not a proper application".
Cr Cathy Griff moved the deferral and it was supported by her and councillors Kristy McBain, Mitchell Nadin, Liz Seckold, Sharon Tapscott and Jo Dodds.
Albert McKnight
Journalist at Bega District News.
Journalist at Bega District News.
