Watching some youths skim clam shells across the water in America, a man named Ligowski had an idea: a saucer-shaped target, made from clay and fired in a brick kiln. It replaced glass balls, brass balls and metal propellers — and changed the sport for good.
The oldest gun club in New South Wales
Since 1880, still calling “Pull.”
Sydney’s home of clay target shooting for 146 years. Coaching, licence testing, corporate events and Have-a-Go days — every Wednesday and Saturday at our range in Terrey Hills.
01 — The club
The oldest gun club in New South Wales.
Founded in 1880 by Sydney’s graziers and businessmen, the NSW Gun Club is the oldest gun club in the state — and one of the oldest licensed clubs in Australia.
More than 146 years on, we’re Sydney’s home of clay target shooting: four disciplines, professional coaching and practice, licence testing, corporate events and Have-a-Go days. Membership once meant twenty guineas and surviving the black ballot. Today, the doors are open.
Read our history1880
Year founded
146
Years of shooting
20gns
Joining fee in 1880
4
Disciplines today
02 — Heritage
Two things began in 1880.
When the club was founded, Australia was six separate colonies. Federation was still 21 years away.
The same year, Sir Lucas-Lucas Tooth became the first president of the N.S.W. Gun Club. Its founders — graziers and wealthy businessmen — shot on part of the estate of Simeon Lord, near today’s domestic air terminals at Mascot. Joining fee: twenty guineas.
The exclusivity of the club was maintained by regular use of the black ballot ball.
- 1870Inventors try glass balls, brass balls, feather-stuffed spheres and metal propellers as artificial targets.
- 1879Graziers and businessmen make the first approaches to form a “Live Bird Shooting Club”.
- 1880Ligowski invents the clay target. Sir Lucas-Lucas Tooth becomes our first president.
- 1901The colonies federate into the Commonwealth of Australia. The club is already 21 years old.
- Today146 years on — four disciplines at 131 Booralie Road, Terrey Hills, with the doors open to newcomers.
03 — What we offer
From first-timers to title-chasers.
Professional shooting practice, coaching, licence testing, corporate events and Have-a-Go days — all at one range, on the edge of the bush in Terrey Hills.
01Start here
Have-a-Go days
Never fired a shotgun? A Have-a-Go is the easiest way to discover clay target shooting — and find out why people get hooked.
Enquire about Have-a-Go02
Coaching & practice
Professional shooting practice and coaching to build good habits, grow your confidence and sharpen your technique.
Ask about coaching03
Licence testing
Working towards your NSW firearms licence? We offer licence testing at the club, and membership that meets the Genuine Reason requirement.
Licensing, explained04
Corporate events
Swap the boardroom for the range. A day out your team and clients will actually remember — and talk about for weeks.
Plan an event04 — Disciplines
Four ways to break a clay.
From the classic arc of Trap to the Olympic bunker — pick a discipline to see how it’s shot.
The most popular shotgun sport. Targets are thrown from a single machine in the trap house, out in front of a squad of five. Each shooter calls “Pull” in turn and has two barrels to break the target. When everyone has shot five, the squad moves one station to the right — five targets from each station, 25 in all.
- Stations
- 5, in an arc
- Squad
- 5 shooters
- Barrels
- 2 per target
- Round
- 25 targets
A squad of five works around a semi-circle of eight stations, with a high house ten feet up on the left and a low house no more than three feet high on the right. At every station each shooter takes a single from the high house then the low house, plus a double at stations 1, 2, 6 and 7 — one shot per target. The first miss is repeated straight away as the “option”; shoot a clean round and your 25th target is low house 8 again.
- Stations
- 8, on a semi-circle
- Houses
- High & low
- Doubles
- Stations 1, 2, 6 & 7
- Round
- 25 targets
Designed to mimic real field conditions. Instead of a fixed layout, targets are presented across a course at different speeds, angles and heights — crossers, driven birds, rabbits bouncing along the ground. Challenging, fun, and endlessly varied.
- Format
- A course of stands
- Presentations
- Always varied
- Targets
- Mini, midi, battue, rabbit
- Inspired by
- Field shooting
Targets are thrown from an underground bunker at up to 65 mph, from one of three machines in front of each of five stations. The shooter never knows which machine — or which angle, up to 45° either side. Two shots are allowed per target.
- Speed
- Up to 65 mph
- Distance
- 70 m+ (229 ft 8 in)
- Angles
- Up to 45° either way
- Shots
- 2 per target
Range plan — Trap / DTL
ClayStationShootingFlight
NSWGC · Not to scale
Peak bodies
Shot to national rules.
The club is aligned with Australia’s two peak bodies for clay target shooting. Their rules govern the disciplines we shoot, from club days to championships.
05 — Get started
From first shot to full member.
Three steps between you and your own membership card. No experience needed to begin.
-
01
Have a go
Book a Have-a-Go session and try the sport for yourself. Send us an enquiry or call (02) 9450 1775 during opening hours.
No experience needed -
02
Visit the clubhouse
Membership applications are made in person during opening hours — after 2 pm on Wednesdays or after 11 am on Saturdays. Bring photographic ID.
Wed after 2 pmSat after 11 amPhoto ID -
03
Join & get licensed
Club membership satisfies the Genuine Reason of sport/target shooting for your NSW firearms licence. We’ll explain the joining protocol when you visit.
Genuine ReasonLicence testing
Licensing, explained.
To satisfy the Genuine Reason of Sport/Target Shooting, you must be a member of a shooting club approved by the Commissioner of Police that conducts target shooting competitions and activities.
Bring your completed membership form to the clubhouse on a Wednesday after 2 pm or a Saturday after 11 am, along with photographic ID.
06 — Programs & hours
Plan your next round.
Upcoming events
2026
Shoot Program
The club’s full program of events for the year ahead — download it and pencil in your next shoot.
Range operating hours
Photos & news
When we’re open
Range hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 2:00 – 9:30 pm |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | 10:00 am – 6:00 pm |
| Sunday | By notification |
Wednesdays run until 10:00 pm during daylight saving. Three major Sundays open by notification — check the NSWCTA blue book for dates.
Follow the club
Photos from the range and the latest club news, over on Facebook.
Visit our Facebook07 — Community
Supporting our community.
Our range sits on the edge of the bush in Terrey Hills. Being a good neighbour means putting our land and our time to work for the people around us.
A training ground for our local brigade
We host the Terrey Hills Rural Fire Brigade for training days on site, giving the volunteers who protect our community room to train close to home.
Keeping the bridle trail open
We help maintain part of the local bridle trail, keeping it open for the horse riders who share the bush around the range.
A home base for Tour de Cure’s vans
We store Tour de Cure’s vans on site, supporting the charity’s work to raise money for cancer research, support and prevention.
Working alongside
Have-a-Go & corporate enquiries
Your first round starts here.
08 — Visit
Find us in Terrey Hills.
- Clubhouse
- 131 Booralie Road
Terrey Hills NSW 2084 - Postal
- PO Box 303
Terrey Hills NSW 2084 - Phone
- (02) 9450 1775
- Fax
- (02) 9450 2178
- General enquiries
- Send us a message
- Have-a-Go & corporate
- Send a booking enquiry
For general enquiries, ring the club during operating hours. Registered Club · Licensed Premises.
NSW Gun Club131 Booralie Road, Terrey Hills
Enquiries
Send us a message.
Booking a Have-a-Go, planning a corporate day or asking about membership? Tell us what you have in mind and the right person at the club will reply by email.
Rather talk? Call (02) 9450 1775 during range hours.
Board of directors
- PresidentKarl Bowen
- Senior Vice PresidentCharles Dinnell
- Club CaptainScott Wright
- TreasurerHugh Bickerstaff
- Director & SecretaryStephen Strangio
- DirectorKurt Doerner
- DirectorGreg Coleman
- DirectorRod Gibbes
- DirectorMark Walshaw
- DirectorGregg Standing
- DirectorWinton McCaskie