Waiuku Pistol Club

Consent for a rifle, pistol, cannon and shotgun range granted.

1985 – Ranges approved by the New Zealand Pistol Association for use of center-fire pistols.

1995-1996 – Site leveled - current range layout established

2002 – Land-owners sub-divide the land and put it on the market

2010 – New Consent issued by Franklin District Council

2011 – New lease obtained – long term plan to buy land decided

The original Waiuku Black Powder Arms Club was formed in 1979 in the engineering workshop of Waiuku College during a metalwork night class run by local teacher Peter Hook. Several members of the class expressed an interest in assembling kitset Black Powder muskets so a variety were ordered and duly assembled. An advertised meeting was held in a classroom at the College and the Club was formed. Initially the Waiuku Black Powder Arms Club shot at the farm of one of the members, but decided that the 100 yd. range there did not have a good enough safety profile. Members then carried out shoots over many farms on the Awhitu Peninsula, as the club sought a permanent site.

During that period Tom Dawson and Peter Hook toured most of the hill country on the peninsula in Tom's jeep looking for a safe, permanent site with a good safety profile, well away from housing, that could be approved as a range site.

After a very rough ride up Bothwell Park Road, which was an unformed clay road, they came to the junction of two other clay roads adjacent to Parkinsons Lake. Further exploration of this area led Tom and Peter to what they considered to be a perfect site for the proposed range.

At that time the land was owned and used as a winter run-off by a local dairy farmer. After negotiations with the landowner, Peter made an application to the Franklin County Council, for the land to be declared as a rifle, pistol, cannon, and shot gun range, which was approved on 28 May 1982. The club was