Gun battle over Eastern Park: Lawyers called in

Alex de Vos
Geelong Gun Club is in a legal battle with State Govern-ment after continuing to ignore a deadline to stop shooting at its historic range in Eastern Park.
Mr Haberman said members were still shooting at Lime-burner’s Point despite a Govern-ment order to leave the site on June 1.
“At this stage we’re still shooting until we reach an agreement with the Department of Sustainability and Environ-ment,” Mr Haberman said.
The shooters want the Government to find them a new home before they will agree to leave Eastern Park.
Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Mike Behn-ke said the club had forced the Government to take legal action.
“Officially, the club is staying there illegally,” he said.
“They’ve overstayed their welcome and we’re taking legal action.
“But locks and chains haven’t happened yet because we’re trying to work out an amicable and sensible agreement.”
The Government has spent seven years trying to force the shooters out of Eastern Park.
The Government ordered Geelong’s council, as the site’s committee of management, to evict the shooters but councillors refused.
The Government then took over management to continue the state’s campaign against the century-old club.
The Government wants to kick the club off the site amid concerns about environmental damage from shot and broken clay targets falling in Corio Bay and running down a cliff face at the end of the range.
Mr Haberman has told the Independent that the Government had promised to find the shooters a new site before they would have to leave the park.
However, Member for Geelong Ian Trezise has denied a promise was made.