QRA History of Rifle Shooting

Queensland Rifle Association is the Oldest Sporting Association in Queensland
formed 15 May 1861

The QRA has established a Historical Committee to collect and catalogue documentary evidence, which will be used to research the history of the Queensland Rifle Association since 1861. If any members, past or present, have documents that contain material which relates to the Association, and that they wish to donate or loan to the Committee, please deliver to the QRA office at Belmont Range or post to:

QRA, PO Box 38, Carina Qld 4152
Please ensure you include the following:
Name, Address, Contact Phone Number, List of Documents, Instructions for donation or return to sender.
Any enquiries should be directed to John Johnstone via the QRA office.

According to newspaper records the Queensland Rifle Association was inaugurated at a meeting at Cowell’s Victoria Hotel, Brisbane on Wednesday, 15th May, 1861. (Courier 16/5/1861, p. 2) Its birthday makes it the oldest sporting association in Queensland. The QRA’s nearest rival, the Queensland Turf Club, appeared in July 1863. (Courier 22/7/1863, p. 3) Two years later came the Queensland Cricket Association. (Courier 6/5/1865, p. 4)

The Brisbane Courier reported the QRA would encourage ‘rifle practise throughout the colony’, and support the volunteer movement ‘by enrolling … those whose avocations or age do not permit them to give personal service’. (Courier 16/5/1861, p. 2) The association would be ‘modelled on the plan of the National Rifle Association in Great Britain’. It would have as Patron, His Excellency, Sir George Bowen, Governor of Queensland. Its President would be the Commander of the Queensland Volunteer Rifle Corps, and President of Queensland’s Legislative Council, the Honourable Lt.-Col. Maurice Charles O’Connell.

Every August, over 300 long range fullbore target rifle shooters compete in the Queensland Rifle Association ‘Queens Prize Meeting’ in a contest of endurance over seven days at Belmont Range in Brisbane. Using both old fashioned iron sights and modern telescopes mounted on .308 calibre rifles, men and women fired shoulder to shoulder at targets over a kilometre away. This event has been run annually since 1878, with the exception of the war years, making it the oldest Queens Prize Meeting and possibly one of the oldest sporting championships in Australia.

Target shooting is one of the oldest organized sports in Australia with records dating back to British Marines at Sydney Cove in 1788. According to newspapers in the 1800’s, the three most popular sports in Queensland were Lacrosse, Horse Racing and Shooting. Early competitive matches were often conducted in the grounds of local hotels with substantial prizes offered by patrons.

In order to increase the ability of Britain’s marksmen following the Crimean War, Queen Victoria inaugurated the first Queen’s Prize Shoot by offering £250 to the best marksmen in Britain. The first long range shooting match was held at Wimbledon in 1860 and other Commonwealth countries followed suit soon after.

In 1860, the first Queensland Volunteer Force was formed by the Governor of the Colony and members were occasionally permitted to use the single target military range at Kelvin Grove. Rifle Clubs flourished throughout the volunteer period and the Russo-Turkish War led many British colonies to form Rifle Associations.

The John Oxley Library contains a copy of the first annual report of the Queensland Rifle Association for the year ending 31 December 1863 which states that the Association originated in 1860 and was formed in 1861.

According to later history books, the Queensland Rifle Association was officially constituted in 1877, securing a site for the Brisbane Rifle Range at York’s Hollow, now known as Victoria Park. The first prize meeting was held there on the 20^th – 24^th August 1878 with the most important match being the Queen’s Aggregate over 200, 500 and 600 yards. Badges were awarded to the top ten competitors and a total of £100 in prize money was distributed. The metropolitan rifle range was moved to Toowong in 1887, then to Enoggera in 1910 and finally to Belmont in 1964. The competition has been named the Queen’s or King’s Prize depending on the reigning monarch.

Teams competed in the National Rifle Association matches in England at Wimbledon for the first time in 1886 and at Bisley in 1902. In 1876, Australia competed for the Centennial trophy in the first world long range championships at the Creedmoor Range in the USA, using muzzle loaders at 800, 900 and 1000 yards. The Palma match as it is now known is believed to be the oldest international shooting match in the world. The Australian Rifle Team competed for the trophy in Canada in 2007 and won a Bronze medal. The match will be hosted by the National Rifle Association of Australia at Belmont in 2011.

References:
Halls, C. 1974, Guns in Australia, Paul Hamlyn, Sydney
Holt, J.C. 1988, The Australian Bicentenary Fullbore Rifle Championships, Benalla Printing, Victoria
Jackson, LtCol A.T. 1927, Southern Queensland Rifle Association Jubilee 1877-1927 Official Souvenir Programme
Lugs, J. 1968, A History of Shooting’ Spring Books, Middlesex

History - The Queensland Rifle Association