New firing range hits the mark

A former infantry soldier has helped deliver a new Army training capability with the opening of a 600-metre marksmanship training range (MTR) at Greenbank Training Area on October 3 – the newest of its kind in Australia.

The upgraded facility, which replaced the ageing 400-metre classification range, features electronic targetry and improved sound dampening to reduce vibration and noise for firers.

The project was led by Mathew Bennett, a long-serving Army reservist and project manager with JLL, who began his military career using the original range.

“Early in my career, I helped re-raise 8th/9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, and I got to take soldiers to that same range to shoot. I thought at the time, ‘This range is really bad, it needs to be better’,” Mr Bennett said.

“To come back to it in a position now to directly influence Defence infrastructure, knowing what the soldiers need and then, at the very end of that project, getting to live-fire commission what I helped build is a rare opportunity.”

The project began in June 2023 and faced several challenges, including budget constraints, an extensive design phase and construction delays caused by Cyclone Alfred.

The storm left the soil sodden and unstable, requiring the removal and replacement of more than 500 tonnes of earth.

During the project’s feasibility study, it was discovered that the original range was situated inside a previous 7.62mm trace, with the firing point well behind the 400-metre line.

Rather than clearing extensive vegetation to extend the existing range, the old facilities were demolished and the new range was built from the ground up.

Old targets from the range were refurbished and re-used at the nearby Purga Training Area.

The new targets were purpose-built in Europe and have a 20-year lifespan. They are supported by software that can integrate with allied military systems.

“So if we get the software from, let's say, the US Marine Corps, we can integrate their requirements into our ranges. The system is far more versatile than legacy ranges,” Mr Bennett said.

Acceptance testing was conducted by soldiers from 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment from October 9 to 15, and Mr Bennett participated in the final qualifying shoot.

“Its strategic location means all of 7th Brigade and much of the 2 Div reserve workforce benefit,” he said.

Mr Bennett, who has also overseen range upgrades at RAAF Base Townsville, Lavarack Barracks and Mount Stuart Training Area, said the Greenbank project set a new benchmark.

“New MTR projects do take a long time. We’ve delivered this range in just over 24 months from project inception,” he said.

Mr Bennett credits his employer, JLL, for supporting his reserve duties with his job.

Author - Corporal Michael Rogers
Australian Defence Article