Teenager shot in quarry accident

By Ed Merrison
TARGET practice went wrong when a teenager was shot in the leg in a disused Dixons Creek quarry.
The accident in Paul’s Range, Toolangi State Forest, triggered a call from a nearby resident for a ban on “dangerously conflicting activities”.
The shooting occurred when a 16-year-old Ringwood East boy walked ahead of his three male friends in the quarry on Saturday, 2 December.
Senior Constable Chris Hickey of Healesville Police said only licensed shooters were using guns at the time.
One of them slipped on a gravel embankment and accidentally discharged his .22 firearm, shooting the victim in his right calf.
Ambulance services transported the victim to Maroondah Hospital for treatment to his injured shinbone.
Ian King of Dixons Creek has been worried for some time about the possible consequences of a Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) decision to allow a range of activities in the forest.
People use the forest for shooting and trail bike riding, as well as walking, horse riding and mountain biking.
“The DSE shouldn’t have to be told how ludicrous that is,” Mr King said.
“It’s only a matter of time before a trail bike rider gets hit by a shooter.”
DSE spokeswoman Gill Cooper confirmed shooting and trail bike riding were among legal recreational activities in the forest, but pointed out that no other forest users were involved in the accident.
“DSE urges all shooters on public land to act responsibly so their actions will not put the safety of themselves or others at risk,” she said.
“All forest users are urged to abide by permit and licensing requirements and use common sense and courtesy towards each other and neighbouring landholders to help reduce any potential conflict.”
Sen Const Hickey said the quarry incident was the first shooting accident he had heard of in Paul’s Range or anywhere in Toolangi State Forest.
He said there was no chance the shooters could have hit a trail bike rider from their position inside the steep-walled quarry.
“In all due respects the group was doing everything it possibly could to be safe,” he said.
But Mr King would like to see an end to shooting, and also believed the forest an unsuitable place for trail biking, which caused “incredible soil erosion”.
“The DSE’s job is to ban these things which should not be allowed in our forests,” he said.
Ms Cooper said the DSE had been involved in forming reference groups to discuss the impact of trail bikes in state forests across Victoria.
The groups will consider future options such as restricting access, minimising erosion and noise and increasing safety.
“New guidelines for forest users will be developed in partnership with local communities and interest groups during 2007,” Ms Cooper said.