Redevelopment of the land where the club's original range was located, in Lagoon Valley, near Lake Hawea, left members on the hunt for a new home earlier this year.
Club president Dan Orbell's call to local farmers for the use of their land - in an Otago Daily Times article on April 18 - was answered almost immediately by Stacey and Jen Anderson, who offered a piece of their property halfway between Wanaka and Lake Hawea for the establishment of a new range.
Several working bees later, the facility is almost ready. A New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) range certifier will visit later this month to give the range an official seal of approval.
Mr Orbell said the site was ideal for the club's requirements, and considerable planning had been done to ensure minimal noise pollution.
''The shooting platform has been located within a natural land recess and will be barely visible by the public.''
The rifle range was vital for the club to achieve a high standard of firearms safety for members and for trainees who take part in the club's four-week Hunter National Training Scheme (Hunts), Mr Orbell said.
The Hunts course encourages the safe use of firearms and other hunting and safety aspects of the outdoors, and is one of several services the club provides to the community.
It also provides venison for the Wanaka Foodbank, has arranged a public river crossing course and will be supplying deer eyes to the Mount Aspiring College science department.
Mr Orbell was also keen for the 130-strong club - the confirmed host for the 2015 NZDA conference - to begin working with the Department of Conservation on a recently announced predator control programme for the Matukituki Valley.
