We at FoMH feel that the new 50 year lease arrangement is a secret backroom deal which was unannounced (except by Senator Leyonhjelm on Facebook), undiscussed and decidedly underhanded. There was no consultation at all. Just a few months ago we had the shooters and Minister Hunt in agreement that the rifle range would be relocated to another facility in “3, 5 or even 17 years”, and now NSWRA have a new confidential 50 year lease signed sealed and delivered.
It seems that there will be a massive increase in shooting days from the current one or two days per week to 5 days per week. This would mean that the new Eastern National Park would only be open to the public on two days per week, and perhaps not at all on weekends. We think this is an unacceptable situation that could have been avoided if consultation had occurred between ALL the stakeholders of Malabar Headland prior to signing any new lease. This is public land after all.
FoMH was not consulted or notified of the new lease. NPWS were also not consulted and had to confront the NSWRA in a meeting about the news! Local residents were not consulted about the increased shooting days.
FoMH has always recognised that without the Rifle Range, there would probably be no bush now to protect, and we do not view the new 50 year lease as a negative in regard to the protection of the precious ESBS bush. The continued presence of shooters should mean that there can be no development on the headland, although we don’t know the terms and conditions of the lease. We do know that our vision for the whole of Malabar Headland is now many more years away.
It is disappointing that the landfill will not be remediated any time soon, and that the Rifle Range will not become Public Open Space in the near future, but we appreciate that fixing the landfill is a very expensive proposition for any government and we wonder why/how shooters and horses/riders can utilise the unremediated landfill areas safely.
People are quite rightly upset about the complete lack of community consultation in this new lease arrangement and the secrecy associated with the terms of the lease, and how things have changed so quickly from the earlier statements of Minister Hunt. They are confused about how a new National Park can be closed 5 days a week and on weekends. They are worried about noise from increased shooting.
We trust that NPWS and the shooters will work closely together to ensure that there is a satisfactory compromise between public access and shooting access. We understand that if the shooters are not active on any particular day, the Eastern walkway will be accessible, and NPWS will leave the gates in the new fence open at all times EXCEPT when they are shooting. The eastern walkway is progressing at a fast pace, and will be opened very soon. We are hoping for an invite to the opening.
We will be working hard to ensure fair public access to the Eastern walkway and National Park! Why not join us?
Friends of Malabar Headland 
I do not understand how the shooters get away with this.
If they are unable to use their area without posing a risk to others in surrounding areas, they are creating what is legally known as a “nuisance” and can be stopped.
My understanding of the layout of the headland is that people who keep to the walking track are in no danger form the firing range, whilst it is in use. That fishermen are allowed out their while the range is in use confirms this must be so.
I think the local member and relevant minister(s) should be lobbied about this.
If FoMH want some assistance in writing an appropriate letter, let me know.
Cheers,
Ted 🙂
Thanks for your comment Ted,
We don’t know what the new 50 year lease with the shooters contains, but it would refer to the bush area behind the rifle range as part of the safety template of the range. The safety template encompasses much of the new National Park and Eastern walkway (not sure about the ocean). So NSWRA lease of the 87 hectare range would impact heavily (not a pun) on the 70 hectare eastern section, and would have to be covered off in the lease and in the transfer of ownership of the park to NSWPWS. If so we would have no legal basis to get the lessee to cease their activities. We also assume that it would be the responsibility of NSWRA to ensure the range and range template is secure when shooting. If we could see the lease then we would know. Maybe security is now passed to NSWPWS?
Currently the shooters have security people at the entrances on shooting days, and they don’t allow anyone through. It has never been legal enter the eastern side on shooting days. The were rusty old, bullet-riddled signs with $17,500 fine for entering. Of course, people did and still do get through. It may be legal for fishers to walk along the sea-level shelf from Malabar or South Maroubra, but I don’t know.
New, more secure fencing is currently being installed. Previous fencing attempts have never lasted more than a day or two before being breached.
It has been suggested that a giant buttress could be built behind the stop-butt to reduce the safety template, and maybe that’s what will happen. Who Knows? We, the 99% are powerless yet again.
Cheers
Hi tDaunt12,
I can tell you as a matter of fact that fishermen with a valid permit are allowed on the headland while the range is in operation. I was there about 4 weeks ago, with my walking group. We saw many fishermen out on the headland and were told, by the rifle club attendant, that fishermen are allowed on the headland whilst the range is in operation.
This strongly suggests, to me, that there is no actual legal restriction and no actual safety risk except for people becoming lost and wandering back into the range itself.
Something has to be done with this. The headland is a wonderful place and should be open to the public.
I’ll do some investigation of my own and let you guys know what I can find out.
Cheers!
Ted
Thanks Ted,
That is amazing. I did not know that fishers were allowed on shooting days, or permits were issued. Just goes to show how compatible fishing and shooting really is!
That opens up some interesting discussion points. Who gives these permits? Is there really no danger? Has the Range Safety Template changed? What’s the criteria for a permit? Can I get one?
These permits allow certain people to roam on somebody else’s land outside the rifle range but inside the range safety template, all whilst shooting occurs. That is really something!
Please Ted, find out what you can, and others who know anything please let us know.
Thanks,
Tom,
member of FFoMH (Friends and Fishers of Malabar Headland) (Smiley Face)
That’s not amazing, it’s rubbish! No one, fishers, bush walkers, no one, is allowed in the template/trace or danger area of a rifle range. Especially while the range is being used. There are no permits for certain people -this is fanciful nonsense. The headland becomes part the range whilst in operation and posting this kind of stuff has the potential to cause injury worse to others who may be foolish enough to believe it.
NSW Police have and will enforce the range template restrictions. Other offences may also apply in relation to breaches of the Firearms Act for failing to comply with a reasonable request from a range officer on an approved range. This is the reason why the Picquets, North and South are emplaced whilst shooting is underway. The template has not changed and is still an RDA trace range being 150 mil radians left and right of the stop butt and extending 1830m. behind it. You can verify this information with the range approval holder or NSW police. By entering the template of a range that is in use,(when the red flags are flying and what all the signs say) you may be endangering yourself and others.
Thanks Rob. Your comment is in line with FoMH’s understanding:
No one is allowed on the Eastern Headland when shooting is in progress, with no exceptions.
FoMH has received an email from David McGuigan, Executive Officer for NSWRA which totally clarifies the situation. Part of his email is reproduced below:
“Some information from your website was sent to me for my attention. It relates to a discussion about fishermen having permits to fish while we are shooting etc. It also makes comments about it being safe to go on the headland while shooting is taking place as long as you stick to the paths. Neither of those comments are correct.
The reason that I am raising this with you is my concern that such discussion may lead to people being misinformed as a result of reading those messages. The NSW Rifle Association takes very seriously our obligation to safety and do not want to see this lessened by misinformation.
The truth of the matter is that the area shaded on the attachment is part of the rifle range when we are shooting and for safety reasons there is no permitted access to anyone in that area. There are no exceptions to that position at all.”
The attachment picture can be viewed here.
Thanks David for the email.
Regards,
Tom
FoMH has decided to moderate any further comments being made here to ensure they relate to the topic. We are here to advocate for the protection of
environmental and cultural values of the Headland, and its future. We are not a platform for arguments between various stakeholder parties. Issues should be taken up directly with parties such as the NSWRA or NPWS or DoFD and not here.
Thanks.
That is the proper course, tdaunt12. I will pursue the interests of my community in the direct manner you suggest. Thank you for hosting this debate to the current point. Cheers, tbearted.
I wish to clarify the impression FOMH have that there was a dirty back room deal done with the Federal Government in obtaining the 50 year lease. This furphy was no doubt initiated and fed manure to you unsuspecting but well meaning people by Messrs Daley and Thistlethwaite to pursue their own grubby local political agendae.
In fact, the Federal Government and the permanent (read forever) licence holders of the ANZAC Rifle Range ie NSW RifleAssociation, negotiated that the permanent lease would be relinquished in favour of taking on a fixed-term lease in exchange for the Commonwealth conducting remediation works on the site.
If those FACTS leave FOMH more aggrieved than before, then I fail to see why. It is very difficult to negotiate in good faith with all concerned when these Labor Machine Men muddy the waters. If these Labor “luminaries” promise you anything, like Peter Garrett did a few years back, my advice is to walk away and lawyer up.