History - Paringa Archers
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History
Paringa's own history
The Launceston Archery Club was formed 1958 and became the Paringa Archery club 8th Feb 1961 (Minutes) after an initial meeting 17th Dec 1960 (Minutes). .
Paringa is an Aboriginal name for girls, meaning "Home at the river". In 1960 Miss. V Klye introduced the sport to Launceston High School Students, who practised in Royal Park.
Another northern club was formed at Beaconsfield in 1964 and lasted until the early 1980s. Tasmanian archers founded the Archery Society of Tasmania in the early 1950s and held its first state championships in 1962.
The club has been built by many active members, with facilities being constructed during many a working BBQ. Of recent years the efforts of the Freeman family,
Ray Denton, Shirley and Wally Morphett, Peter Fisher, Murray Frith and Jeff Garner have enabled the club to build upon it's simple base and provide one of the most picturesque ranges in the country.
Life Members
| Name | Year |
| Ray Denton | 1988 |
| Jan Bown | 1991 |
| John Bown | 1991 |
| Geoff Dyer | 2020 |
| Peter Fisher | 2017 |
| Andrew Fluck | 2022 |
| Clint Freeman | 2004 |
| Les Freeman | 1998 |
| Tricia Freeman | 2006 |
| Murray Frith | 1998 |
| Jeff Garner | 2018 |
| Barrie Peers | 2020 |
| Paul Korosi | 2018 |
| Paul Malinowski | 2020 |
| Bruce McCaskill | 1972 |
| Shirley Morphett | 2012 |
| Wal Morphett | 2012 |
| Vallan Reid | 1988 |
| Geoff Singline | 1998 |
| Brian Swinton | 2019 |
Clint Freeman
The first archer to be inducted into the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame, Clint Freeman, of Trevallyn, was also the first Tasmanian to hold a national title in the sport and the first selected for an Australian team. He represented Australia from 1992 to 2010 winning two world titles and setting 12 world records.The Examiner link. Congratulations Clint.
The 2003 World Target Champion
The 2003 World Target Champion
Extracts from minutes 1960 to 1992 with regard to club grounds and buildings. Compiled by Shirley Morphett - April 2018
13 Oct 2018 Indoor Range Grand Opening
13 June 2017Everett prepared for World Cup Stage 3 in Salt Lake City
6 April 2016Launceston archer Matthew Everett grabs medals at 2016 national youth championships
15 March 2006Lethal bows stolen from archery club
15 May 1986Club incorporated
Ray was a Life Member from 1988, former vice president ( 1989 -1993) president ( 1994 2004) .
Examiner Junior Sports Awards Service to Sport (Archery) winner 2008 . Tasmanian Sports Awards 2010 Local Hero Award winner (Paringa Archery Club)
Ray's years of dedication and committment alongside other volunteers, has helped make Paringa Archery club what it is today .
Tracia Freeman setup the Group and Schools Program at Paringa and Ray coordinated and ran it from 2003 to 2014 as Schools and Group coordinator .
Ray also organised other community events outside of the club venue such as the Deloraine Craft Fair (4days) Steam fest at Sheffield (3 days ) and others that came along from time to time.
Ray also helped maintain the club's equipment, was on the Roster for Saturday Come N Try sessions as well as running courses for community coaches and AA Instructors .
Ray was also a long serving National Judge and ran courses for new Judges.
Some Tasmanian Archery History
"In the second half of the nineteenth century, several other women s sports were established in Tasmania.
The first was archery, formalised in 1857, when the Tasmanian Archery club formed in Hobart with Mrs. T Gore Browne, the governor s wife, as president.
By 1862 Invermay Club was functioning in Launceston, and the Great Western Archery Association was in Hagley, where Lady Dry (wife of premier) was president.
Although these clubs were not exclusively for females, committees and membership were largely female.
As early as 1860 Walch s of Hobart were selling equipment for ladies, and in the spring of 1865 women and men were practising on the Charles Butler s Battery Point paddock (soon to be home of the Break of Day Cricket Club)"*
* Most of this has been sourced from Sporting Island A History of Sport & Recreation in Tasmania - David Young 2005
Publisher : Tasmanian Government - Sport & Recreation
References : Mercury 9 Dec 1857
Tas Weekly News 6 Feb. 1858
Tas Telegraph 16 June & 7 August 1858
Publisher : Tasmanian Government - Sport & Recreation
References : Mercury 9 Dec 1857
Tas Weekly News 6 Feb. 1858
Tas Telegraph 16 June & 7 August 1858
Extracts from early Paringa meeting minutes
Provisional committee meeting reported that a bank balance of nine pounds, eight shillings and nine pence
still existed for the Launceston archery club of the 50s and would become available.
17 Dec 1960 Royal Park was reserved for shooting 1-4 P.M. Saturdays - Insurance was considered unpractical tho signs would be erected.
8 Feb 1961 Burnie and Hobart clubs had assisted with information, the name Paringa Archers was adopted
26 Apr 1961 Two club bows were purchased from T.Charlton with one dozen 26 arrows
7 Jun 1961 Letter received from Aubrey Brigg (still active with Taroona Archers) of Van Dieman Archers regarding Southern Tas. Championships
Calico used for target faces! (to be painted) Palm Grove hall under consideration as an indoor venue
9 Aug 1961 Arrangements for Northern Tas championships - November long weekend
Saturday A.M. American Round
Saturday P.M. American Round
Sunday A.M. 180 yds men s clout, 140 yds ladies clout
Sunday P.M. 160yds Men s clout , 140yds ladies clout
Saturday A.M. American Round
Saturday P.M. American Round
Sunday A.M. 180 yds men s clout, 140 yds ladies clout
Sunday P.M. 160yds Men s clout , 140yds ladies clout
9 Aug 1961 Arrangements for Northern Tas championships - November long weekend
Saturday A.M. American Round
Saturday P.M. American Round
Sunday A.M. 180 yds men s clout, 140 yds ladies clout
Sunday P.M. 160yds Men s clout , 140yds ladies clout
30 Apr 1963 Club motto adopted Swift, Silent and True . An affiliation by clubs of King Island and Flinders Island were noted.
28 Jul 1963 An invitation received to the opening of a new club at Beaconsfield
22 Jun 1964 The first mention of a boy member Murray Frith (the current president of Archery Society of Tasmania) with a handicap of 34.
22 Jul 1964 The Apple Isle Postal shoot first mooted.
24 Sept1964 An archery versus pistol shoot proposed by Van Diemans pistol club.
16-17 Oct 1965 Visit by Hans Wright - he became Australia s first international medalist (bronze) in the FITA World target championships in 1969 and was still competing at the 2002 World Masters Games.
