About us

Thelmore Pistol Club Inc. was founded in 1999 by former members of the Moruya Batemans Bay Pistol Club who sought to continue ISSF pistol shooting competitions. The club established itself as an ISSF Southern Zone competitor and aimed to create its own shooting range.

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Founding and purpose: 

Thelmore Pistol Club was formed by a group of Pistol shooters who preferred to follow the traditional shooting disciplines of the International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF).  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes the ISSF as the international governing body of the shooting sports. Existing clubs in the Eurobodalla were taking a different path in the early 2000’s which was incompatible with the ISSF and IOC requirements, thus a new dedicated range was required 

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Range location:

Members identified a disused WWII RAAF Command Bunker near Moruya Airport as a potential underground shooting range site. 

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Lease and company formation:

In 2001, the club negotiated a 10-year lease with Eurobodalla Shire Council for the bunker and formed Thelmore Range Pty Ltd, a non-profit company to hold the lease and manage the range. 

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Range construction:

Club members cleared and refurbished the bunker, installing concrete floors, shooting partitions, electrical power, bullet traps, and sound attenuation, with total costs estimated around $55,000-$60,000. 

 

Operations and competitions:

The range passed NSW Police accreditation and hosted regular ISSF pistol and air pistol matches, as well as Southern Zone competitions. 

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Membership and activities:

The club evolved from a private group to a membership-based organization, adding rifle training and competitions in .22 caliber to increase participation and income. 

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Facilities and safety:

The range supports up to six shooters with restrictions on firearm calibre's and requires safety compliance, including ear and eye protection. Members can access the range 24/7 via a key.

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Challenges and restoration:

Heavy rain in 2021-2022 caused water intrusion that halted shooting activities. In 2023, a sporting grant was secured to rebuild the range. The Range was given official FAR approval in 2025 with the official reopening planned for late 2025.

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Community involvement:

The club was approached by the local RSL to host a WWII airmen war memorial on the leased land, reflecting its historic significance.