Dunedin Archery Club

Club History

This is an abridged version of an article taken from booklet produced for the NZ National Tournament 1988 by Ray Lane.

It is generally believed that the Dunedin Archery Club was the first of the modern clubs to get started although no early minute books available for reference or confirmation of this fact due to the fire that completely destroyed the club house and it contents in the autumn of 1949.

However, two references from the Fred Lake collection of archery literature show quite clearly that this was correct and that the club was formed in 1938 by Mr. N.J. Ryan. This club operated successfully during the war years with around 30 members from the armed forces shooting regularly with the club.

The club’s existence therefore was due to Mr. N.J. Ryan’s interest in archery which commenced in 1937 a few months prior to the Christmas holiday break of December and January of that year. In his search for some sort of family activity came up with the idea of archery.

After much research archery activities were soon under way at a place close to the Beverley Begg Observatory which was appropriately known as Robin Hood Park. This park was the top part of a disused quarry which had been flattened out and made into a soccer field. Later the City Council granted a lease of a portion of Jubilee Park for the use of an archery range and club house site. When they moved to Jubilee Park in 1941 Mr. Nick Ryan in an endeavour to improve on the targets wound and glued six inch strips of corrugated cardboard, but, it was only when he purchased Dr. Elmer's book on archery from the United States that he was able to make targets that stood the test of time. These targets were made from three inch diameter straw rope and were sewn together as they were fed between the spokes of two horse carriage gig wheels which he had mounted on an axle and frame.

Mr. Nick Ryan’s contribution to the establishment of archery in New Zealand was immense and his devoted efforts were not only responsible for the formation of the Dunedin club in 1938 but also the New Zealand Archery Association itself which was registered in Dunedin on 16th February 1943.

Mr. Nick Ryan is known today as the “Father of Archery in New Zealand”.