West Australian Rifle Association

About organisation

The West Australian Rifle Association (WARA) is the peak body in WA for long distance target shooting. It was formed in 1901 and the collection includes rifles and shooting equipment, trophies for individual and team competition, elaborately embroidered clothing badges, photographs of competitors and social events, and records including member registration ledgers. WARA operates a museum in its facility at the Pinjar Rifle range.

WARA is managed by a Council consisting of elected representatives from 9 district associations (which in turn represent city and country clubs) and office bearers elected directly from the membership.

Collection

Collection overview

The Collection includes rifles and shooting equipment, trophies for individual and team competition, elaborately embroidered clothing badges, photographs of competitors and social events, and records including member registration ledgers.

Collections

All Items (555 items)

AA Ireland (41 items)
AC Turrell Collection (12 items)
ALH Ainsworth (9 items)
KT Richards (35 items)
Nedlands Claremont (8 items)
S McAskill (3 items)

Year Established

1980

Significance

The Collection represents the history of competitive long-distance target shooting by clubs throughout Western Australia.

Collection Highlights, Special Items, Key Stories

The National Rifle Association of West Australian (NRAWA) was formed on the 12th of July 1901 and in 1965 changed its name to the West Australian Rifle Association (WARA).

By the early 1900’s civilian rifle clubs were being established as successors to the colonial era Volunteer Corps. The NRAWA was formed to guide and coordinate the growing sport of competitive long range target rifle shooting. Its first “Kings” prize meeting was held in 1902 at the Karrakatta Rifle Range. The “Kings/Queens” Prize Meeting (The “Kings” became the “Queens” when Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1953) is the premier event for rifle shooting in WA. The competition is open to all shooters from around Australia who are affiliated with the National Rifle Association.

A review by Lord Kitchener just before World War 1, found that the Karrakatta rifle range (now Irwin Barracks) was no longer adequate and this led to the Osborne rifle range being built for shooting from 1913. Osborne was renamed Swanbourne in 1935.

The WARA was head quartered at Swanbourne until 2014 when the Department of Defence concluded civilian use of the range. The “Queens” prize meetings moved to Albany until 2017 when the competition moved to the state of the art Pinjar rifle range. The Pinjar range is now home to the WARA and the WARA Museum.

Subjects

• Competitive long range target rifle shooting (also known as full bore rifle shooting).
• The role of civilian rifle clubs in World War 1 and the community.

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