Everything lost in archery club fire

That was Scott Johnston’s response when asked what the Lachlan River Archers had lost in a fire last week. 

The club’s shipping container, holding everything from lawn mowers to three-dimensional targets worth thousands of dollars, was completely destroyed by fire last Tuesday.

The locks had been broken and someone had gained entry to the container – attached to the clubhouse in the Cumbijowa Reserve on the Lachlan River – to start the fire. 

“That container had our canteen gear, cooking gear, our three-dimensional high density rubber targets, vinyl and paper targets,” Mr Johnston said. 

“Everything we need for the running of the club, like the barbecues.”

It also included a reasonably new ride-on mower and push mower the club used to keep the grass down around the clubhouse and where they shoot.

“There was a lot of new equipment purchased in the last half of the year,” Mr Johnston said.

“There were also many, many donations from over the years.”

It’s uncertain whether anything was stolen before the container was set on fire, only the metal framework of items like the mowers remains. 

The targets alone are valued at anything from $200-$300 to up to $3000 for larger three-dimensional targets, probably about $10,000 in all, Mr Johnston said. 

Mr Johnston isn’t even certain when the fire started due to its isolated location on the Cowra Road: a neighbouring property owner and Rural Fire Service attended to extinguish the blaze. 

Police believe it happened between 2pm and 4.30pm.

The local archery club would usually meet to shoot twice a month, they’re now faced with the clean up before they lock in their plans for the future.

Police are asking that anyone with information about the fire contact them on 68539999 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

With hot, dry weather continuing through this week, the Rural Fire Service is urging people to report fires and to avoid activity that might spark a fire. More on page 5.