Club’s no to eviction

Andrew Mathieson
A DEFIANT Geelong Gun Club will ignore a State Government eviction notice for the end of the month.
Club president Steve Haberman said the Geelong shooters planned to remain at Limeburner’s Point – the club’s Eastern Park home for more than 100 years – until a “suitable” site was found.
Department of Sustainability and Environment had issued a notice in November to quit the area in six months.
“We were given notice that we should quit at the end of this month – as far as we’re concerned that won’t be happening,” Mr Haberman said.
“We’re planning to stay on until a suitable site is found.
“At this stage, the Government hasn’t provided us that, even though they advised us we’d never be forced to leave prior to an alternative site being found.”
“I don’t believe (the Government) is serious but if it is then it’s going to have one hell of a fight on its hands.”
State Government has been trying to boot the club off the site for seven years amid concerns about the environmental impact from lead shot and target debris entering Corio Bay and tumbling down an adjacent cliff face.
The Government ordered Geelong’s council to kick out the club as the site’s committee of management.
Council refused, forcing the Government to revoke City Hall’s management status.
Mr Haberman said the Government had offered the shooters an opportunity to affiliate with a Werribee club but he feared that the Geelong members would be “basically dissolved and gobbled up”.
Another option of land next to Geelong’s CSIRO animal health laboratory was also inappropriate for shooting, he said.
The club was unaware of any discussions about other potential sites.
Department of Sustainability and Environment manager of infrastructure Mike Behnke believed that “nothing was right” for the gun club in their search for a new home.
“The club has had many years to look for an alternative site,” he said.