Where it all started.
Toowoomba Clay Target Club had its beginnings in the late 1800’s. The photo below shows some current members dressed as original members would have been attired.
Brisbane Courier Mail Saturday 17th August 1901
Another sign of the growing prosperity and importance of Toowoomba (says the “Darling Downs Gazette”), is shown by the progress made by the Toowoomba Gun Club during the past twelve months. A year ago (1900) there were scarcely a dozen members, who met occasionally at odd times and places for a shoot, and the sport of trap shooting was in a decidedly languishing condition. Now the whole situation is changed. One or two zealous spirits, recognizing that a district such as this, where sport is in ordinary seasons abundant, should produce as good shots and keen sportsmen as any part of the colony, set about re-organizing the club, with the result that the members’ list has been trebled. A fine shooting site comprising some twenty acres has been leased for ten years from Mr. W. B. Taylor, and a handsome pavilion erected thereon.
The general scheme of the improvements has been copied from the grounds of the Melbourne Gun Club at North Brighton. The pavilion consists of a large members’ gun room and enclosure, with a bar attached; members of the ring are catered for with a special enclosure, and the shooting ground is enclosed with a ring fence.
The shooting boundary (40 yards from centre trap) brings the club abreast of up-to-date clubs in other parts of the world, and will prove a searching test of the skill of local knights of the trigger. A special set of rules embracing the most workable regulations of the Brisbane and Melbourne clubs, have been drafted; in fact the club’s position all round is now second to none in the colony.
Tuesday September 1901 The Toowoomba Gun Club had a very successful afternoon’s shooting; on Saturday on their new ground, M. Trevethan, who is a new member of the club, and shot splendidly, his win being very popular. Several sweepstakes were also shot for, the winners tíe-íng:- Mr. W. Webb, Mr. P. S. Cunliffe, and Mr. H. C. Pointer. There was a large attendance of members present.after the report and balance-sheet had been adopted, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year : President, Mr. S. B. Kennard ; vice-president, Mr. W. B. Taylor ; hon. secretary, Mr. C. W. Davis ; hon. treasurer, Mr. E. Campbell ; committee, Messrs. A. H. T. Beebe, P. S. Cunliffe, F. W. North, and W. H. L. Thornton. It was announced that the president and vice-president would present a 10-guinea trophy for members,
December 19 1906 As a final reminder I would draw the attention of shooters to the closing of entries for the Toowoomba Gun Club Handicap, of £25, to take place on Saturday, 29th inst. Nominations close next Friday week, 28th inst., and two nominations will be allowed. One nom. at £1, two at £1 10s, and ‘stars’ at 10/-. Letters forwarded to the Sec., Mr. G. A. Leichney, Toowoomba, will be promptly attended to.
June 2nd. 1915: A very pleasant afternoon was spent at Clifford Park on Saturday, when a match between teams representing City and Country shooters took place. Two trophies were donated by the club, the conditions being each shooter to shoot at five birds. The City was too strong for the Country, the former winning by 9 points.
The trophies were won by, L. Koss (City) and G. Atwell (Country). New traps, which were recently purchased from Messrs. Drury and Co., of Melbourne, were used for the first time.
April 6th.1922 The most important shoot under the auspices of the Toowoomba Gun Club was held at Clifford Park this afternoon. Representatives were present from Victoria, New South Wales, and various Queensland gun clubs. Mr. Carlossie (champion of the Melbourne Gun Club) also competed. Details :- CHAMPIONSHIP OF QUEENSLAND, £25 and medal valued at £5 (15 birds, 28 yards, three misses out). – M. White (Warwick), 15, 1st; Carlossie (Melbourne), 14, 2nd; E. Tooth, 11, 3rd. THREE-BIRD POINT SHOOT. – Scamidtkin, W. Myring, J. Todd, M. White, W. Burling, D. Burling, and J. Kynoch divided the prize. CHAMPIONSHIP SWEEP. – Carlossie, M. White, T. Margetts, W. Myring, and E. Tooth divided the prize.
Today.
The Club moved to its current location in 1966. Currently the site is leased via the Toowoomba Regional Council with the land being owned by the Queensland Government. There are six trap layouts, four skeet layouts, 2 Tower Layouts and room to set up for sporting shoots. A member of the executive is licensed for the sale of shotgun cartridges, and the club also has a liquor license. Sporting Shooters Associations Australia, Oakey branch, as well as Toowoomba Company of Archers are also located on the our grounds.
There is Practice on every Wednesday and occasionally on Saturday. We have a regular competition Trap Shoot on the second Sunday of the Month. Each April we have a 2 Day Trap Shoot and we have 2 Day Skeet Shoots in February, July and October. The Iron man is shot 4 times a year, and we have a Christmas and Anzac Day Shoot. All of these shoots commence at 9.30 am except Anzac Day which starts at 1pm.
