Any emails can be directed to cpa@westnet.com.au
Hello fellow shooters and shooting supporters!
For those of you that aren't aware, Carnarvon (a small country town ten hours drive north of Perth, the capital of Western Australia) was hit by severe flooding on the 19th of December 2010. Luckily the floods did not affect the majority of the town site but the waters flowed right through some of the outlying areas, including our pistol club.
As you can see by the attached photos, our club is all but ruined. We are a strong local club with 60 active members and we compete every Saturday for eleven months of the year. However it is unlikley we will be able to compete now for some time. We had eight ranges, now none are safe to use. We had a great clubhouse with kitchen and seating area for up to 50 people, now this has been covered in water (initially flowing, but later just stagnant) up to mid-thigh.
A range that normally is large enough to run three seperate competitions, almost 2m deep in water. We have a train that runs along tracks down an incline to serve as one of our shooting props, you can just make out the top of the green train.
The safety area of one range, the dividing range wall and shaded area for spectators
The road to Carnarvon Pistol Association - the gate is next to the large tree you can see in the middle of the photo
Drums filled with sand to form the dividing wall of our 100m range
A member wading out to survey the damage, note the sign welcoming you to Carnarvon Pistol Association
One of our storage containers - it has floated to a new position and targets and range construction materials inside are ruined.
Not only did the water come through quickly and with force, it also pooled in our ranges like it has never done before and is still there presently. The water as it receeds leaves behind a thick coating of mud and debris. Carnarvon is a horticultural town and some of its main industry is growing fruit and vegetables and also raising livestock on the outlying areas. As the river was so large and unexpected it swept through many homes, sheds and paddocks in outer areas resulting in the water becoming contaminated with chemicals, petrols and dead animlas.
It is going to take many hands on deck, machinery and funding to move forward with the massive, unpleasant cleanup opperation, reconstruction of ranges, stripping of the clubhouse, regrading of the road and reconstruction of shade and safety areas.
The recovery part of this opperation must now begin!
Part of this is getting the message out there to all of you, please feel free to distribute this message as you see fit.
If you can provide us any assitance, (and any and all is welcome!) - please contact us either using this email or by phoning club president Justin Smith on 0409087986
Kind regards,
Jessie Marett
CPA Secretary
I keep thinking about how we should do some fund raising here.....I will have to do some thinking on this. I was also wondering if this will affect your licensing in the area, I know to own many of your firearms you have to soot them at the club. Will you have to go somewhere else, or will they be able to give you special dispensation?
ReplyDeleteForgot a few things:
ReplyDeleteI think the pics are broken....
You might try e-mailing this guy:
http://ambulancedriverfiles.com/
I saw he was listed on the blogroll of Jigsaw's Thoughts, but I read him also. He is a fellow gun nut from the south and sometimes will help out other folks. I just finished his book 'En Route' it was very good and I will recommend it, but have a read on his blog too. AD has a great and engaging writing style, I think you would like it.