Shooting Facilities for the Sydney Olympics.

The Shooting Centre will be built at Cecil Park in south-western Sydney, on a 78 hectare site, part of which is currently leased to the Cecil Park Clay Target Club. The venue is to host both Olympic and Paralympic events.

Construction began in early 1998 and be completed prior to the test event scheduled for September 1999.

The Venue and facilities.

The Shooting Centre is expected to be the most advanced facility of its kind in the world at the time of the Olympic Games.

The design incorporates three Olympic shotgun ranges, including provision for the "trap and skeet" events. In trap and double trap events, clay targets move away from the athlete, while in skeet, the targets travel across the athlete's line of vision. During the Olympics, one range will host all finals, and be fitted with a scoreboard and 4000 seat grandstand.

Shooting ranges at the venue will include a 10 metre indoor range for air rifle, air pistol and moving target disciplines, a 25 metre range, and a 50 metre range. The longer ranges for small bore pistol and rifle events, will be fitted with International Shooting Union (UIT) approved electronic target and scoring systems. The centre will include an Olympic Finals Range for 10, 25 and 50 metre events.

Amenities include permanent seating for 1,250, and an Olympic spectator capacity of 10,000. Athlete services include showers, change rooms and secure storage areas. The venue will be a specially secured site, with an armoury and a shooting sports store.

The Shooting Centre will cater for groups with special needs. Design features include access lifts, fully accessible toilets, and multifunctional shooting positions.

High quality lighting will ensure excellent conditions for photographers and television coverage.

As Australia's premier shooting venue, the facility will provide a unique focus for the sport, attracting further national and international events.

The site provides opportunity for the sport to expand at a later stage to accommodate a 300 metre range for larger calibre firearms.

Design and Construction

The Shooting Centre is being designed by Gazzard Sheldon Architects. Tenders are being sought from construction companies to enable work to commence in early 1998.

More than 250 people will be employed on the design and construction of the Centre.

Protecting the Environment

The Shooting Centre, along with all other Olympic venues and facilities, is being developed using rigorous environmental guidelines based on  ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles.

The development will incorporate protection and rehabilitation of some remnant Cumberland Plain Woodland.

Energy saving devices include delay switches, mobility sensors, solar collectors providing hot water, and the use of recycled rainwater for irrigation. Noise muffling devices will also be used in the design of each of the shooting ranges.

Transport

The Shooting Centre is 36km from Homebush Bay when travelling by road. There will be permanent parking for 250 vehicles.

The location is within 30 minutes travel time from Homebush Bay, meeting the commitment to the International Olympic Committee for the  Games.

During the Games, all visitors will need to use public transport. Rail and bus transportation will be fully accessible to people with disabilities. Bus services will run from Liverpool railway station to the venue. A car drop-off point will be provided at Eastern Creek, with direct bus connections to Cecil Park.