New Victorian restrictions were provided by the Public Health Commander in the ‘Restricted Activity Directions (Victoria) (No 2)’ document released on 22 November 2020. Based on regulation ‘Restricted Activity Directions (Victoria) (No 2) and advice from VAPA the following are effective immediately.

Range operation

· Do not attend if you are unwell

· Observe social distancing and good hygiene

· Face mask/covering must be worn according to DHHS requirements

No mask required outside or when participation on indoor ranges

NORI’s or Club safety course require masks if 1.5 distance can’t be achieved

· Nori’s are allowed

· Club run Safety Course will recommence

· Shared Guns need to be wiped/cleaned between shooters

Indoor Ranges/building

An indoor space means an area, room or premises that is or are substantially enclosed by a roof and walls, regardless of whether the roof or walls or any part of them are open or closed. Therefore, the following areas will have a 1 person per 4 sqm density :

· Club house

· Range 9 Air Shed

· Range 3 (undercover firing line

· Range 4 (undercover firing line)

· Range 5 (undercover 50m firing line)

Stage 3 restrictions were provided by the Public Health Commander in the ‘Restricted Activity Directions (Non-Melbourne) (No 5)’ document released on 16^th September 2020. 

Based on regulation Restricted Activity Directions (Non-Melbourne) (No 5) , this is now what the club can offer to members.. 

Range Entry

·       Do not attend if you are unwell 

·       Observe social distancing and good hygiene

·       Face mask/covering must be worn according to DHHS requirements

·       Range access remains open to key holding member

·       Range open for competitions max 10 participants

·       Gate remains locked while range in use 

·       No NORI’s

Range Capacity

There cannot be more than 10 persons at the club at any one time, but they can all compete in a competition on the same range or spread across multiple ranges

Signing in

·       Member bring their own pen

·       When signing in put an arrival and departure time

Indoor Ranges/building

Define as: indoor space means an area, room or premises that is or are substantially enclosed by a roof and walls, regardless of whether the roof or walls or any part of them are open or closed.

Therefore, the following areas must be closed:

·       Club house

·       Range 9 Air Shed

Compliant Ranges/ building

·       Range 1 Open

·       Range 2 Open 

·       Range 3 (Cannot use from undercover – use from 15m forward)

·       Range 4 (Cannot use the undercover firing line, must be outside)

·       Range 5 (Cannot use from undercover, use from 25m forward)

·       Range 6 (Cannot use from undercover, use from 25m forward – with a mobile Baffle)

·       Range 7 Open 

·       Range 8 Open 

·       Range 10 Open 

·       Range 11 Open 

·       Range 12 Open 

·       Back ranges are open; sign needs to be displayed. Stating “Front ranges closed whilst back ranges are in use”

Toilet block is open

Should you arrive at the club, there are already 10 members. Please park, and make your presence known to those on the range.  There are no time limits in place, however simple courtesy should make way for all shooters to enjoy turn taking.  

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email. Stay well. 

Regards, 

Committee of Management 

Due to COVID19 restrictions, Victoria Police have made the decision to waive all handgun participation requirements for the 2020 calendar year effective immediately.
Please refer to the LRD update.

The Licensing and Regulation Division (LRD) continually assess the suitability for individuals to hold a firearm licence. It is expected that if you hold a firearm licence you are aware of the firearm safety standards to keep yourself, your family and others around you safe.

The LRD would like to remind all firearm licence holders that they must follow each of the Chief Health Officer’s (CHO’s) directives which are currently in place to slow the spread of the Coronavirus and keep the community safe. Where a firearm licence holder has contravened any restrictions, they may be breaching their licence conditions.

Victoria Police takes breaches of licence conditions and CHO restrictions seriously. Blatant and deliberate disregard of the CHO directions endangers public safety and calls into question a licence holders suitability to be licensed in an area that requires a strong emphasis on safety.

Should a licence holder blatantly and deliberately breach the CHO’s restrictions, your licence can be suspended, cancelled or may be subject to a reprimand which could harm any future licensing.

If you are unsure around what activities are permitted under the CHO’s directives, please visit the Department of Health and Human Services website or phone the Coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.

https://www.police.vic.gov.au/firearms-industry-news

The Licensing and Regulation Division (LRD) has identified an increase in the number of duplicate Permit to Acquire (PTA) applications that are being submitted. This means that applicants are either emailing their application to us and then forwarding the original via post or they are emailing, sending and contacting online dealers to lodge another application (usually within 14 days if they have not received their permits).This is causing delays in processing of applications as we need to perform additional checks to ensure that these applications are not duplicates. 

It is preferred that you send your PTA applications via email or lodge it through a licensed firearm dealer via the Online Dealer System. In the event that you choose to send your PTA application via post, please ensure you do not email the same application in as well.

More information about LRD’s COVID-19 (Coronavirus) response can be found on the Victoria Police website – firearm industry news and if you have any questions, please email lrd@police.vic.gov.au.  

Regional Victoria commenced Stage 3 ‘Stay at Home’ restrictions on Wednesday 5^th August 2020 at 11.59pm. 

Stage 3 restrictions were provided by the Public Health Commander in the ‘Restricted Activity Directions (Non-Melbourne)’ document released on 5 August 2020. 

Based on regulation ‘Restricted Activity Directions (Non-Melbourne) , this is now what the club can offer (effective Sunday the 9^th of  August) to members with a key for the next six weeks. 

Range Entry

·       Do not attend if you are unwell 

·       Observe social distancing and good hygiene

·       Face mask/covering must be worn according to DHHS requirements

·       Range access remains open to key holding member

·       Gate remains locked while range in use 

·       No NORI’s

Range Capacity

There cannot be more than 10 persons at the club at any one time.

In addition, a group on each range cannot exceed 2 persons unless they are from the same residential address e.g. 10 people at the range shooting in groups of 2 people on 5 different ranges

Signing in

·       Only 1 person at a time in the sign in room

·       Member bring their own pen

·       When signing in put an arrival and departure time

·       Sign in with Target Shoot (TS) – Don’t forget to put your HG serial number 

Indoor Ranges/building

Defined as: indoor space means an area, room or premises that is or are substantially enclosed by a roof and walls, regardless of whether the roof or walls or any part of them are open or closed.

Therefore, the following areas must be closed:

·       Club house

·       Range 9 Air Shed

Compliant Ranges/ building

·       Range 1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 are Open

·       Range 3 (Cannot use from undercover – use from 15m forward)

·       Range 4 (Cannot use the undercover firing line, must be outside)

·       Range 5 (Cannot use from undercover, use from 25m forward)

·       Range 6 (Cannot use from undercover, use from 25m forward – with a mobile Baffle)

·       Back ranges are open, sign needs to be displayed stating “Front ranges closed whilst back ranges are in use”

Toilet block is open

Should you arrive at the club, and there are already the maximum number of members please park, and make your presence known to those on the range.  There are no time limits in place, however simple courtesy should make way for all shooters to enjoy turn taking.  

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us by email. Stay well. 

Should you require license renewals, VAPA Form 3 or Permit to acquire forms signed, you will need to email the club at bendigopistolclub@gmail.com

Committee Meetings will continue to be held monthly (externally)

Please do not hesitate to contact the club for further clarification on matters unique to yourself. We will endeavour to assist you where possible.

We anticipate continued contact by email and normal mail to our members over the weeks and months ahead.

The Victorian Chief Commissioner of Police has authorised a change in participation requirements as of 6th July 2020. This is in response to the continuing COVID-19 situation and the reinstatement of Stage 3 restrictions. A copy is attached.