The club had to suspend beginner's courses over the period between ceasing activities on the Randwick Club's range until the new range at Trentham was ready for use.

By mid October, 2005, we were confident that we would be ready to begin courses at the start of November and a meeting was called for all those who had expressed an interest in learning the sport. Around thirty people attended this meeting with eighteen signing up for the course with a number of others indicating their interest in joining a later course. Many of those joining the course were Defence personnel who had learnt of the club's existence from the club's Liaison Officer.

Course members were given their first lesson (theory and safety briefing) at the meeting and were keen to get out onto the range the following Sunday.

Sunday 6th November, another hi-light in the history of the club, saw the first beginner's course get under way at the new range. The weather was fine and just before midday keen course members were arriving. The first job was to get them "kitted out" with the bow and other equipment that they would use throughout the course. Then it was over to the range and each person was taken through the shooting of their first few arrows in a "one on one" with a coach, until they had the confidence to shoot without assistance.

From that point on the students shot under the control of the whistle while the coaches moved about correcting any errors or problems that the new archers had. The two hours were soon up and the participants were loathe to stop as they were enjoying the experience, but it was time to stop as the members of the 2pm session were starting to arrive.

The second session was a repeat of the first and at 4pm the students departed, looking forward to their next session in a weeks time.

With eighteen new pupils and several others who had not completed their course when we ceased activities at Randwick, there was a lot of pressure on the new range - we only just had enough target butts and it was obvious that we would have to build more. The committee is currently addressing this issue.

At the end of the day there were three somewhat weary coaches, but with a sense of relief that the new range had come through its first major test with flying colours.

At the completion of their ten week course the students have the option of becoming fully fledged members of the club, taking part in all the informal or competitive shoots that will be offered.

The next beginner's course will probably begin in February 2006. In the meantime the club will accept expressions of interest and contact those people when the date of the next course is set.