| 1947 - Summer |

Single Barrel
Shoot Off,
1955(31K)

Newcastle Gun
Club Team,
1955 (46K)

Sharp Shooters,
1950's (45K)

John &
Dan Mott (50k)

Hazel Morton &
June Scowcroft
1954 (32K)

Annual Shoot
Programme
1959 (70K)

Michael Diamond
1998 (24K)


Club House
QT movie (635K)
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The club was started by Ray & Alan Morton, Don McCara and Harry Bowden and named "Shortland Gun Club". It was located over swamp lands and there were 12-15 members present on each club day.
Amunition post-war was made by using mine fuse for powder and knocking the primer back out with a nail to be refilled with match head material.
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| 1950 |
The club moved to adjoining properties and eventually Searles Dairy, as conditions in the wet were too harsh and cold. A tent was used for the office / clubhouse / bar. There was one hand trap in use. Mrs Hazell Morton used her burner and billy can to make tea.
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| 1952-3 |
1952 saw the club was reformed as Shortland Gun Club and moved from Searles Dairy on Minmi Rd. In 1953, the club shifted from this property back to one on the swamp after a heavy rain had washed away the clubs lanes.
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| 1955 |
31 members were sent to the National Titles in Melbourne. The team won 11 major placings. These national titles were for the selection of the Australian Olympic team for Melbourne 1956
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| 1956 |
Dan Mott (inventor of Damo Traps) and Stewart Mordue organised the shift of the club to Merewether on Hunter District Water Board land where it was renamed "Newcastle Gun Club". The president was Neville Williams. This site started with one manual snipe trap and then two Damo traps. Fred & John Fryer (John joined the club when he was 16) were in charge of building things even though the original clubhouse was a prefab moved from elsewhere.
Mrs Hazell Morton was finally allowed to become a full member as the club's committee of 12 to that point would not allow women as members.
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| 1960's & 70's |
The club installed a skeet layout and held demonstrations of their skills with the local council approval as a promotion day at Stockton Beach near the pine trees north of the surf club in 19?? .
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| 1991 |
Up until November 1991 the club was located on the Merewether grounds when it was relocated to the Awaba site after delaying pressure to move for some six years. The club was eventually evicted by the then State Environment Minister as the land had become part of the coastal parkland.
The first competition of the new grounds was held in 1991 with two Down-the-Line layouts and 2 Skeet layouts. The official opening was on the 21st March 1992.
The club acknowledges the enourmous effort put into the establishment of the club by Dick Edwards, Ken Winning, Chris Lindsay and many others whose enthusiasum got us through some tough times.
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| 1998 |
Diamond sparkles to claim zone title
Atlanta Olympic gold medallist Michael Diamond produced incredible form to win the Northern NSW Zone Championships ... more
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| 1998 |
| The current grounds in 1998 now cater for Down-the-Line, American Skeet, Olympic Skeet, Olympic Trap and Simulated Field, with regular major and local competitions |