In answering this question there appears to be no law currently in place in Australia that prevents a person shooting in their backyard, although Archery Australia is not a legal expert and formal legal advice should be sought before you undertake such an activity.
Points to consider: is the property a rental property, units or housing complex or a privately owner/occupied dwelling? For rental properties, units and housing complexes check with the property owner or body corporate. This may vary from State to State and there may be specific laws regarding types of properties.
You should also check your personal household and public liability insurance policy; you may not be covered for such an activity.
You are NOT covered by the Archery Australia’s insurance policy when shooting in your backyard. Archery Australia’s insurance only covers current financial members when engaged in archery activities at approved venues detailed in the Certificate of Currency and accompanying documents.
Be aware, when engaged in archery activities on private property, although there appears to be no specific laws covering this activity, action could be taken by Police following a complaint resulting in charges for Making a Public Nuisance, Discharging a Weapon or Endangering Public Safety.
You should also be aware that, if an arrow enters another person’s property, you could be changed with Trespass and if the arrow strikes or damages another person’s property further charges could be follow.
The recommendation from Archery Australia is that you DO NOT shoot in your backyard. However, if you do, you must ensure you have the appropriate permissions from the property owner and that you have appropriate property and personal insurance cover. Also you should undertake an appropriate Risk Analysis of the planned activity.
For many Archery Australia activities such as Team Selection, one of the conditions of team selection is that the person remains in “Good Standing”. So, what does this mean?
The person must:
- Be an Australian Citizen; the person is an Australian Passport holder and complies with World Archery requirements
- Be a current financial member of Archery Australia
- Complete and submit the necessary forms and provide a copy of passport by the due date
- Not owe any funds to, or have any debts with, Archery Australia
- Not be under any bans or restrictions including anti-doping violations
- Agree to and comply with the Team Agreement and Codes of Conduct.
For more information about age class classification, please head to the Age Class Page:
For the purposes of the family membership discount a family is :
1. three or more persons;
2. related to each other by one or more of the following causes:
(a) an immediate blood relationship under the age of 18, or
(b) the following legal relationships:
i. marriage;
ii. de facto relationship as defined in section 4AA of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth),
iii. adoption,
iv. step parenting;
v. foster parenting,
vi legal guardianship under State or Commonwealth law; or
(c). a resident caregiver relationship.
3. and consisting of:
(a). a maximum of two persons above the age of 18 years who must be either married or in a de facto relationship as defined in section 4AA of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth); or who fall within the definition of clauses 2(a), 2(b)(iii) to 2(b)(vi) inclusive or 2(c) above.
(b). any number of other related persons under the age of 18 years as of the date of joining who fall within the definition of clauses 2(a), 2(b)(iii) to 2(b)(vi) inclusive or 2(c) above.
An “immediate blood relationship” means a parent/child relationship such as father or mother vis a vis son or daughter. Grandparent/Grandchild is not an “immediate blood relationship” (but the relationship may nevertheless qualify as a family under another criterion).
A “resident caregiver relationship” is an informal arrangement where an adult is caring for a child as a de facto parent in circumstances where the child resides with the adult and is financially dependent on the adult.”
For clarification, once a youth archer is over the age of 18, they must take out their own individual membership.
4. All family members wishing to claim this discount must be members of the same Club they are claiming the discount through.
ARCHERY TERMINOLOGY
This is a guide for the terminology used within Archery Australia. RGBs and Clubs hosting tournaments should use these term on entry forms and information.
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20 and UNDER CLASS |
Age class for Youth Athletes who turn 17 years of age from the 1st January in the year after their 17th birthday to 31st December the year of their 20th birthday. 20 and Under Class athletes may also participate in the Open division. World Archery refers to this class as Junior but in Australia we use the term 20 and under as generally people use the term junior when discussion all youth divisions and this can become confusing. |
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AFFILIATE |
Every individual registered member of a club which is affiliated with Archery Australia through an RGB. |
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ATHLETE |
The generic term referring to archers and arbalests. |
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ALL GOLD |
Six arrows shot in the GOLD (9 and 10 scoring zone) during an end of 6 arrows or two 3 arrows ends which make up a 6 arrow end. An award can be claimed from Archery Australia in recognition of an “All Gold End”. |
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BRACKET |
The collection of ends at a given distance, which form part of the total round. |
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CADET CLASS |
Age class for Youth Athletes who turn 15 years of age from the 1st January in the year of their 15th birthday to 31st December the year of their 17th birthday. Cadet Class may participate in the Cadet, 20 and Under or Open division. |
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CATEGORY |
The combination of a Division and a Class. |
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CLASS |
The term used to describe an athlete’s gender and age group, ie Women, Men, Club, Intermediate, Cadet, 20 and Under, Open, Masters, Veterans or Youth Age Groups. |
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CLASSIFICATION |
The term used to describe a person’s shooting standard, i.e. 3rd, 2nd1st, Master Bowman or Grand Master Bowman or level of competition determined by score or Handicap Rating. |
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CLUB |
A body comprising a number of athletes organised together for competition, social competition or otherwise and who will register all members with Archery Australia. |
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CUB CLASS |
Age Class for Youth Athletes up to the 31st December in the year of their 13th birthday. Cub Class may participate in the Cub, Intermediate, Cadet, 20 and Under or Open division. |
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DISCLIPINE |
The term used describe the various types of archery competition, i.e. Outdoor Target Archery, Field Archery, etc |
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DIVISION |
The term used on entry forms to describe the type of equipment that is used; i.e. Recurve, Compound, Longbow, Barebow Recurve or Barebow Compound. |
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END |
A set number of arrows shot prior to scoring: can be either 6 arrows or 3 arrows depending upon the event being shot. |
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EVENT |
An organised competition. |
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FACE |
The printed coloured paper or cloth target attached to the butt for scoring, also referred to as a Target Face. |
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FIELD OF PLAY |
The designated shooting area. |
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GENDER |
In all divisions except for Intermediate and Cub, gender is referred to as Men and Women. For Intermediate and Cub divisions gender is referred to as Boy and Girl. |
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INTERMEDIATE CLASS |
Age Classfor Youth Athletesfrom the 1st January in the year after their 13th birthday to 31st December the year of their 15th birthday. Intermediate Class may participate in the Intermediate, Cadet, 20 and Under or Open division. |
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JUNIOR |
Term used by World Archery (FITA) to designate the Youth age division 18 years to 20 years of age. In Australia we use the term20 and Underwhich better identifies the Class. |
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MASTER ATHLETE |
An athlete permitted to participate in a Master Division in tournaments when the competition takes place in the year of his or her 50th birthday and thereafter. A Master division athlete may choose instead to compete in the Open division. |
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MINOR |
A Youth Athlete who has not achieved their 18th birthday. |
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NATIONAL RECORD |
A record shot in a National Championships or Australia Open |
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OPEN |
Any athlete may participate in the Open Class in tournaments, however athletes between the age of 21 years and 49 years can only participate in this Class. |
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TOURNAMENT |
A tournament is a competition where all current financial affilaites (members) of Archery Australia are invited to enter and participate. A Tournament is generally not limited by Division, Class, Gender or Category. Some tournaments such as Matchplay or Traditional may be limited by Performance, Division, Class or Category. Tournaments may also include classifications with are determined by score or Handicap Rating. A tournamant Orgnaisng CommitteeMUST– List the tournament on the Archery Australia Calendar; •Publically invited entries and ensure the correct language and termalogy is used in the Entry Form to avoid confusion; ◦Use Archey Australia approved scorecards; ◦Publish a complete list of results; |
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PERFECT END |
Shooting 6 arrows in the 10 scoring zone (10s and Xs) during an end. An award can be claimed from Archery Australia in recognisistion of a “Perfect End”. |
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QRE |
A Qualifying and Ranking Event registered with Archery Australia and listed on the National Calendar, designed to allow greater opportunities for people to qualify for international events and for the National Ranking List. |
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QRE OFFICIAL |
A person nominated to Archery Australia Officials Committee for approval by a club or RGB who can officiate at a QRE when a National Judge, Continential Judge or International Judge is not available. |
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RECORD |
A record is achieved when athletes shoots a score one point or greater than an exsisting score. There are three different types of records obtainable in Australia. National Record – A record shot at the National Championships. Tournament Record – A Record shot in a registered tournament. World Record – A record shot in a World Archery registered event. Clubs and RGBs may keep their own records |
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RECURVE BOW |
A bow manufactured so that the limbs bend towards the athlete to increase the bow draw weight prior to the string being released. |
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ROUND |
The term used in archery to designate the number of arrows to be shot at specific distances (bracket) at specific sized target faces. |
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SHOOT |
A low level casual competition usually at club level, without the use of Judges or other local officials. |
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SENIOR ATHLETE |
An athlete aged 18 years and over and may include Classes Open, Master, Veteran or 20 and Under. |
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TARGET FACE |
The coloured paper or cloth placed on a target butt and used for scoring. |
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THREE METRE LINE |
Positioned 3 metres in front of the Shooting Line. When an arrow is accidentially released or dropped and lands within the area delineated by the 3-metre line, the arrow is deemed not to have been shot. |
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TOURNAMENT RECORD |
A record shot in a tournament listed on the Archery Australia, RGB or Club calendar. |
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VETERAN ATHLETE |
An athlete is permitted to participate in a Veteran Class tournament when the competition takes place in the year of his or her 60th birthday and thereafter. A Veteran Class athlete may choose instead to compete in the Master or Open divisions. |
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WAITING LINE |
A line parallel to and behind the Shooting Line where athletes wait before and after shooting. |
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YOUTH ATHLETE |
The generic term used to describe athletes in the Youth Age Class; i.e. 20 and Under, Cadet, Intermediate and Cub. Cub Classup to 31st December in the year of their 13th birthday. Cub Class may participate in the Cub, Intermediate, Cadet, 20 and Under or Open division. Intermediate Classfrom the 1st January the year after their 13th birthday to 31st December the year of their 15th birthday. Intermediate Class may participate in the Intermediate, Cadet, 20 and Under or Open division. Cadet Classfrom the 1st January the year after their 15th birthday to 31st December the year of their 17th birthday. Cadet Class may participate in the Cadet, 20 and Under or Open division. 20 and Under Classfrom the 1st January the year after their 17th birthday to 31st December the year of their 20th birthday. 20 and Under Class may participate in the Open division. |
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