SSAA Sarina Branch

Range Location: 684 Riley Road, Mt Christian, via Koumala

SSAA Sarina (The Report May 2026)

By Sam Talbot 

Earlier this year, SSAA Sarina celebrated an important milestone with the official opening of its new 200-metre range, attended by SSAA Queensland President Jeff Ross and Vice President Shane McEwan. 

The new facility, named the Merv Linthwaite 200 Metre Range, represents nearly eight years of planning and countless hours of volunteering by branch members. The new range complements the club’s existing 50- and 100-metre facilities, allowing Sarina shooters to enjoy a wider variety of rifle disciplines and opening the door for larger competitions in the future. 

The history of SSAA Sarina stretches back more than four decades. The branch held its inaugural meeting in February 1982 under the name Pioneer Valley Pistol Club and had a 50-metre range at Grasstree Beach where members enjoyed shooting for many years.  

In 1999 the club lost access to that site when the land was sold for residential development. Members continued shooting at neighbouring clubs while searching for a new location to establish a permanent range. 

That opportunity eventually arrived in 2001, when the Linthwaite family offered approximately 10 acres of land near Koumala for the development of a new shooting facility. With the support of members and volunteers, a new range was quickly developed and officially opened in October 2002 as SSAA Sarina Branch Inc.  

The club has continued to grow steadily since then and today the branch has around 75 annual range pass holders and more than 300 affiliated SSAA members, including several women and a small but enthusiastic group of junior shooters.  

Shooters take part in a wide variety of shooting disciplines, including pistol matches, rifle shooting, clay target events, single action shooting and rimfire metallic silhouette competitions. The branch is also looking to expand its activities further, with plans to introduce hunting rifle events in the future – especially now with the 200m range. 

Beyond regular competition shoots, SSAA Sarina has a strong reputation for its community events. Since 1983, the branch has hosted the ANZAC Memorial Shield shoot – an annual competition that brings together shooters from Sarina and neighbouring clubs. The range also hosts charity fundraising shoots, with proceeds recently donated to the Cancer Council. 

The Sarina facility itself includes a clubhouse with kitchen and training areas, shaded outdoor seating and camping space for visiting shooters. The range also operates off the grid on solar power, and the surrounding property has become home to a small wildlife sanctuary where wallabies frequently appear around the grounds. 

Looking ahead, the branch hopes to continue improving its facilities, with plans to eventually install electronic targets on the 200-metre range and upgrade amenities as funding becomes available. 

SSAA Sarina is a monument to the dedication and hard work of its members. The opening of the Merv Linthwaite 200-metre range is another chapter in the story of a club built by volunteers and supported by a strong local shooting community.