Hunting enthusiasts assemble, a popular coastal suburb could be the home to its very own bowhunting facility.
Moffat Beach already offers axe throwing, but those wanting to brush up on their hunting skills will have a chance – out of the wild – if the two-storey “small scale” facility is approved by Sunshine Coast Council.
A development application for an indoor sport and recreation bowhunting facility at 1/69 William Street, Moffat Beach, was submitted to council by Plan A Town Planning on behalf of Far Ahead Bowhunting last month.
The site is already established by the company for industrial purposes, with the Far Ahead Bowhunting “boutique” shop and website offering gear, clothes, equipment and coaching.
Bowhunting is the practice of hunting game animals with a bow and arrow, and is growing in popularity.
Far Ahead Bowhunting owner Harrison Dennis said he wanted to open the new facility to give people a place to safely learn the “niche” sport on the Coast.
“I got into bowhunting about four-plus years ago, mainly to source my own quality meat, just for health reasons,” he said.
“From there, it sort of grew and I found a lot of people were getting into it and didn’t really have anywhere to go to learn it properly – like myself when I started.”
While there are many archery clubs in the region, he said the new offering would be filling a gap in the area, if council gives the proposal the green light.
“There’s nothing else like it around and I don’t think there’s really much else like it in Australia,” Mr Dennis said.
“There’s no moving targets, like in some archery places. I have 3D foam animal targets – some boars, a fox, a rabbit, a goat and deer.
“The indoor range is about 23 metres long.”
He said the facility would be a space where people could learn to hunt and shoot game animals as well as understand the sport.
“I teach people what it takes to be a successful bowhunter and ethically take and respect animals,” he said.
“You get it anywhere – people go out and just shoot a bow and kill animals and they just leave them.
“Or they want to just shoot the animal for the trophy, which is the antlers or the horns. Then they take a photo and then they’ll just leave it there to rot. So I’m spreading that information as well as why we do it.
“I also teach the positive effects that it has on the human mind and body … I’m a health practitioner as well, so it’s entwined into that.”
Key details of the proposal revealed the new facility would be located entirely within the company’s existing premises, involving a gross floor area of about 315sqm.
The proposal’s relevant matters included the plans directly supporting and being compatible with the surrounding industrial uses.
The facility would also “provide a direct service to the local area without compromising future development for industrial purposes”, plans stated.
Works would be limited to the internal fit-out only, without changes to the existing building footprint including building height, site cover or setbacks.
“The site maintains shared access and carparking located at the front of the building and screened with landscaping to soften the appearance of the building,” the town planning assessment report said.
“The proposal is appropriately separated from sensitive uses so as to not adversely impact on amenity of residents in the area in terms of any adverse acoustic outcomes.”
Mr Dennis said he was confident his new venture would be approved by council, which was “on board” with the proposal.
“It’s not open to the general public and will be book-in for members only and mainly just one-on-one training with myself,” he said.
“I usually run an eight-week program that will teach people from the basics, all the way up to getting themselves out into the bush. I also do guided hunts as well, so taking people out onto properties to hunt.”
The application is currently undergoing assessment by council.
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