Thread: Ashburton Rifle Range: CLOSED

If the cycle track came later, well it should never have been put in.

Originally Posted by steven

If the cycle track came later, well it should never have been put in.

Even as a full on live it and breathe it cyclist I couldn't agree more.

People move out to a "lifestyle" property near Adrmore (Sth Auck) then complain about the planes that have been buzzing around the area since WW2. People shift to Western Springs, then whinge about the noise of the speedway that had been running since 1929.

Sadly, I can see a future where the only solution for a rifle range is for the club to own all the land in the danger template.

its simple enough council and doc will be only to happy for anything to do with shooting near town gone.
unless ofcourse its medals at olympic or commonwealth level. but they dont seem to get medal winners have to practise somewhere

The range was gifted to the people of Ashburton many many years ago by the Army, and cannot be taken or used for any other purpose. The council cannot use it for a dump or industrial buildings or anything except its gifted purpose because of the way it was gifted and how the paperwork was written up. The council tried to close it a number of years ago and failed because of the legalities involved.
What gets me is what the hell has bloody DoC got to do with it? Or have they put in a complaint because of their precious bloody cycleway? Which is questionable because the local DoC office cant even supply documents or information to prove they actually have control of the adjacent land. Its not even designated as a marginal strip. Basically its what use to be referred to as the queens chain and there has been no change of status for DoC to now have control of it - they doing it with bullshit and bluff. Some years ago they were asked to supply the relevant documentation to prove they had control of that area to prove that duckshooters needed a DoC permit to hunt the local riverbed - they couldnt and dropped it like a hot spud. Now they are using the same bullshit and bluff to interfere again.
My suggestion would be for everybody to bombard DoC with phone calls and emails etc and give them a bollocking and tell them to back off cos the cycleway is only recent and was put in close to the range knowing full well the range has been there since WW1.
And then get behind the local range guys and offer as much help and assistance as possible to get the range back up and operational.

they doing it with bullshit and bluff. Some years ago they were asked to supply the relevant documentation to prove they had control of that area to prove that duckshooters needed a DoC permit to hunt the local riverbed - they couldnt and dropped it like a hot spud.

exactly and when they cant do it legally they,l make it a safety concern and try to wind the bikers/ walkers up against it and kill it by strangulation.dirty sly political bollocks.

The nth canterbrbury DOC conservator needs a big fat one up him.FFS do these clowns ever do homework before they rush into action.Ive never forgiven the gutless wonders for the 14 lives lost at Cave Creek(westcoast DOC effort).Dont give me official enquiries -just another example of covering the incompetent arseholes.the minister of conservation needs to get off her rather full derriere and start making unannounced visits to ream out the arseholes!

I'm from the other end of the country, and have never visited the range in question, but by the looks of things on wams.org.nz, there's a paper road running along the river bank. Is that where the bike track is?

are there any other ranges in the area? i am moving to ashburton in a couple of weeks and i was searching the other night for ranges in the area but only this one come up.

Originally Posted by silentscope

are there any other ranges in the area? i am moving to ashburton in a couple of weeks and i was searching the other night for ranges in the area but only this one come up.

not as far as I know, there was only the one when i lived/grew up there

so as a default people end up using river bed itself or the beach.......frigging council and Doc very short sighted.....re route cycle way back behind other end of range....may get hit with flying brass.....

ah bugger. might have to make friends with some farmers then.

I know the feeling the range I shoot at has been there a very long time at least 50 years but I don't no exactly the people (city foke) who built there houses near by and or sold on to new buyers knew full well they were building/buying next to a RIFLE RANGE its no secret its there the range is only open for shooting 2 Sundays a month but still they complain and and we are the bad guys
"hay you built next to us not the other way round"...... so doc shouldn't of built there track there they knew the range was there

I think a lot of people move to the country "because its quiet" but the real story is wrong dogs,tractors,chainsaws,rifles,lawn mowers to name a small amount of the things that make a lot of noise in the country

my family will be woken up at 6:30am tomorrow I have a mai mai 300m from my bedroom window but I know the shooters well and just because im not into duck hunting you wont see me complaining its only for a few weeks let them have there fun and get over it

Don't get me started on precious "horsey people" who complain about gunshots and fireworks in rural areas


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Originally Posted by MSL

Don't get me started on precious "horsey people" who complain about gunshots and fireworks in rural areas


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tell me about it lol the people next door 2 us have horses lots of horses they also have a group of duck hunters that shoot on the property the horses are now used to it and don't give a shit all you have to do is stop babying them and they will get used to it...

the local gunsmith has a paddock on his land for test fires and sight in's he shoots anything from 22lr to 450NE and the horsey people next door realize its his job and they cant really stop him from doing his job so they put the horses in his paddock for a few weeks and he just continues doing what he dose and the horses get used to it pretty quick