Club History
​THAMES VALLEY DEERSTALKERS ASSOCIATION

Our club is situated in Paeroa and serves a membership that is predominantly in the Thames Valley/Coromandel area.  Due to the diversity of the club's activities, our excellent facilities, the various programmes and opportunities we have and provide for our members, visiting sports people and general visitors alike, the number of new members from further afield getting involved is increasing.

TVDA was formed in 1956.  "Home" was situated at various locations, however, in the mid 1970’s the TVDA Range was moved to our current location at 101 Morrison Road – at that time the property was owned by the Kelly Family Trust.  By the early 1980’s the clubrooms had been built and the extension was added in the late 1980’s.

In 2001 the club’s extremely hardworking and proactive committee of volunteers, along with a keen membership base, fundraised and successfully attained ownership of the 22 acres of land that incorporates our selection of ranges and clubrooms.  The purchase of the land has been a huge boost to the club and our sports, as well as giving us the freedom to develop the land into what has become widely renown as one of the very best complexes and facilities of its kind here in New Zealand.  This recognition does not come lightly.  From our humble beginnings, coupled with drive, foresight and wonderful support, we have achieved and further strive to build on these foundations in the years to come as opportunities prevail.
 
Since we took outright ownership of the property, TVDA has risen to the highest level on several fronts within our sporting codes – with particular note in regard to Clay Target Shooting on the National and International scene.  We have held numerous Regional and Zone Championships, North Island and National Championships, an Oceania Sporting Clay Championships and in 2011 TVDA hosted the World English Sporting Clay Target Championship.  This has all been possible due to the quality of the facilities that we have, the unequalled dedication of our commitment to this sport and the fabulous support that we have in both our local and sporting communities.  In addition to these events, we have also been widely identified as leaders in promoting all forms of sport with the willing inclusion of so many other user groups to use and be based at our property.
 
Youth and continual learning are always of the utmost importance for us here and TVDA is a club that promotes the integration of young and junior members on every front, but never losing sight of the fact that there are always opportunities for us all to learn, irrespective of age and gender.  The rewards achieved through people becoming integrated into sports and recreational activities, and at the same time extending themselves and achieving personal goals, is extremely rewarding and one that we thoroughly enjoy being able to offer to the wider community on as many fronts as possible.

​On the club front, our new and junior members are of particular interest, and a lot of time and effort is made to ensure that they are made to feel most welcome but also for them to have the basics for setting themselves a positive future.  Contributing factors to this are aspects such as the highly accredited National HUNTS programme and survival course weekends which cover topics such as first aid, map reading, leadership, water and boating safety, firearms safety and the general life skills that accompany the above.
 
Whilst the deerstalking aspect of the club is usually partaken in amongst the hills, valleys and forests of our fabulous backcountry, this aspect of the club also sees a very active participation as do our regular club nights, guest speakers, rifle range competitions and training programmes.  Our members are also involved with judging at local and national events, as well as involvement at National level with our parent body, the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association.  Executive members of NZDA have, in the past, been drawn from amongst our membership which has provided a wealth of information and experience for those concerned, as well as the club in general.

"We have in recent times also welcomed the bowhunters from the greater region into our midst ..."

In 2008 TVDA integrated the Bow Hunters Society from the region into our midst.  We now have a permanent 2D field range used for practice, a 60m sighting in range and a second field range used with 3D targets for club and external events as well as a fun Laporte thrower.  The club is involved in an interclub shoot hosting one of the four tournaments and shoot alongside the Clay Twilight evenings with a 10 target 2D round.  This connection continually fosters the ongoing benefits of health, sport and recreation and we constantly strive to offer as many of these opportunities as possible to the wider communities.

Accompanying this wider integration of other clubs as well as our large membership base and the inclusion of the various sporting disciplines, has been the club’s willingness and keenness to introduce aspects of our country’s historical past via Iwi Liaison with Iwi and Tangata Whenua from further afield as well as our own locality.  There is much to be gained in life as well as in our sport and this has also proved to be a sound means by which more people can become more culturally aware rather than from textbooks and political avenues alone.  We are all part of the larger family of Aotearoa and enhancing this aspect of our history has provided considerable value for everyone concerned. 
 
The NZ Police, including the Armed Offenders Squads, are extensive users of our rifle ranges and we are one of the very few registered and certified venues left in the North Island where such a complete degree of training can be carried out by them.  There has always been an excellent working relationship between the club, our members and the Police and as such they have also contributed to various upgrades to our range shooting complex.
 
Our facilities are also home to other local groups for meetings, functions and activities such as Ohinemuri Fish and Game for meetings and events, Morrinsville Fish and Game for events, Firearms Safety Training providers, ATC and Army Cadets for training weekends, schools from around the Hauraki area, local church groups for school holiday programmes, the Ngatea and Paeroa Lions as well as numerous business and private functions as and when requested.
 
Many hunting groups and individuals around the country are also following the path that TVDA took back in approximately 2009 with regard to predator pest control and trapping work.  Initially this work was undertaken for DOC in the Kauaeranga Valley to help protect an extremely rare native orchid, but it expanded quickly once the successes were seen and the commitment from members was evident and genuine.
 
This trapping work now encompasses various trap lines in the Kauaeranga Valley, traverses the Kopu to Kaiaua leg of the Hauraki Rail Trail as well as the Firth of Thames on the Kaiaua side.  Since 2019 in excess of 500 DOC 150 traps have been placed along the Hauraki Rail Trail (HRT).  This HRT trapping network covers areas of the trail from Thames through to Te Aroha, Paeroa and Waihi.
 
Traplines are now also set on numerous farms and local properties, particularly where they bound protected land such as RAMSAR Sites and DOC land where there are significant waterways where excellent benefits are being gained for native and threatened species. 
 
Our Kids Survival Camp is a long-standing event on the TVDA Calendar and it is an absolute hit with all the kids and their families.

Life Member Mike Deane started these camps back in the mid 1970’s and they have taken place annually ever since.  In the early days this was about teaching teens about “survival in the bush”.  The camps were great but, due to demand and other changes, the camp is now for all club member children from 5 years through to those in their late teens.  Teens are part of the “working group” that brings the camp together each year and form a vital part of the succession planning for this event.

The Kids Swazi Shoot event came about in the early 2000’s when the then owner of Swazi Apparel, Davey Hughes, offered three items of top quality Swazi clothing to every NZDA branch in the country to support junior shooting.  That offer was undertaken annually and has since been continued by the new owners of Swazi.  This excellent offer is also a testament to the fantastic support that all branches of NZDA have from the wider community for their role in supporting all aspects of junior shooting and firearms safety.

The general membership of TVDA is one that is very enthusiastic and enjoys the wide range of events and opportunities that are on offer.   With both members and volunteers providing the hard work, this will ensure that TVDA as a club is not only one to survive, but able to think and work outside the square and succeed as a result.  Our vision and sights are firmly set on the future and we thrive on the possibilities and successes that these attributes have produced.  The workforce that ensures all these events are carried out along with extensive upgrades and ongoing maintenance and improvements are all done on a totally voluntary basis by members and club supporters which is something that we are very proud of.  It is this extremely strong community involvement and the camaraderie of all working together on projects that constantly promotes the bonds we have forged and the strength and unity we have as a club.
 

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