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Did you know? .....The first ever Australian Shooter to win the infamous 'Kings Prize' Shoot at Bisley, England was Walter Addison from Orroroo, S.A.

Below is the Moose Head trophy he won in the triangular teams match in Canada, which later was donated to the Orroroo Rifle Club by his family. This is on public display in the Orroroo Memorial Hall foyer.

PRESENTED TO THE ORROROO RIFLE CLUB

by the family of the late WALTER COLMAN ADDISON

THIS BULL MOOSES HEAD WAS A TROPHY

won by him at Ottawa Canada in September 1907 for being top scorer for Australia in a triangular rifle match between Great Britain, Canada and Australia.

This also commemorates the fact that in 1907 he was the first Australian to win the coveted

“KINGS PRIZE” for RIFLE SHOOTING at BISLEY, ENGLAND

It is also shown in The Mail (Adelaide, SA :1912-1954), Saturday 15 April 1939, page 11 that Walters father, the "late Hon. A. R. Addison, was a Parliamentary champion. He won the 1883 Queen's Prize."

The Advertiser Adelaide, SA 1889-1931, Friday 30 July 1915, page 7, 10 also states that the late Hon. A. R. Addison, "took a great interest in the old volunteer movement, and he became actively associated with the Orroroo Volunteer Force, rising to the rank of captain with that body. Later he captained the Orroroo Defence Rifle Club. As a rifle shot Mr. Addison was well known. Many cups and trophies went his way, and his precise marksmanship on one occasion gained him the championship of the State."

History of Target Rifle Shooting in Australia

From the 1850s to the 1950s, Australians developed a strong volunteer tradition in preparing defense against possible invaders. Volunteer expeditionary forces were sent to most British wars. From this arose an enthusiastic civil marksmanship movement. Forming as military reserve support under the Defence Act until as late as 1996. The movement exists to this day in the fullbore Rifle Clubs affiliated with the State and National Rifle Associations of Australia. The highest trophy shows the significance of this sport to the nation: the Queen's Prize.

NRAA

Today the National Governing Body for Rifle Shooting in Australia is The National Rifle Association of Australia (NRAA).

The NRAA started out as the Federal Council of Rifle Associations of Australasia in the year 1888. It became the Commonwealth Council of Rifle Associations of Australia in 1901.

The NRAA governs and regulates the sport of rifle shooting in Australia as it sees fit ...it administers the rules of rifle shooting known as the ‘Standard Shooting Rules’ ...

For more information about NRAA visit their website via link: http://www.nraa.com.au

SARA

The South Australian Rifle Association preside over the sport of Long Range Target Shooting within South Australia.

The South Australian Rifle Association (SARA), formed in January 1861, holds the annual Queens Prize Shooting Competition.

To read about SARA and it's history, please go to SARA website via link:

https://www.riflesa.asn.au
https://www.riflesa.asn.au/about/sara-history

Our Club History

The Orroroo Rifle Club was first formed in 1883. Permission was granted for the rifle range to be situated on crown land adjacent to East Terrace where it still is today. Prior to the turn of the century when the backstop was built, all firing was directed at a metal plate on a stick with a marker held in the air. The marker stood behind a wooden shield. Rifles used in those days were of .45 calibres. Cartridges were loaded with black powder and were shot from 200 yards. When the Lee Enfield rifle was introduced (.303 calibre), accuracy was greatly increased, even though the sighting of the rifles was vastly different from today’s ring sights and 1/3 degree calibrations for wind and elevation on the 7.62mm rifles. Early sights consisted of a peak foresight and the rear sight was a bar on which a centre line in white. Calibrations of approximately 5 degrees of wind on either side where marked and the elevation was controlled by raising a bar on a slide.

Yanyarrie Rifle Club is the oldest rifle club in South Australia and was the first registered rifle club in South Australia, therefore given the Association No. 1 number.

The Orroroo Rifle Club, known as Association No. 13 amalgamated with Yanyarrie Rifle Club No. 1, and then the club changed their name to Yanyarrie Orroroo Rifle Club on 4 August 2007.

The amalgamation designed so that Yanyarrie Orroroo Rifle Club Incorporated could keep using both range facilities situated at Yanyarrie and Orroroo. And the club could keep hold of both clubs historical Association numbers No 1 and No 13.

Today Yanyarrie Orroroo Rifle Club Incorporated No. 1 & 13 conduct shooting matches at two locations;

Orroroo Range - 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 yards.

Yanyarrie Range - 800 and 900 yards.

More Historical information... attachments below