The origins of Camden & District Archery are somewhat elusive, as the founders and early members were more focused on enjoying their archery than keeping records. Unfortunately, no written documentation exists from the early days of the club. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that the club was established in the 1950s. Over the years, we’ve called several locations home, including Turner Road and Smeaton Grange Road in Narellan, as well as the University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown Campus from 2003 to 2011. In 2012, we moved to our current location at Cobbitty.
In 1996, we had the honor of hosting the NSW State Target Championships at Rotary Cowpasture Reserve, Camden. It was at this event that a new recurve Junior World record was set— a record that would stand for many years. We returned to the same site in 1997 to host the NSW State Clout Championship.
During our time at the Campbelltown University campus, we had access to several hectares of undeveloped land owned by Landcom. This space allowed us to hold two successful State Field Championships and several Macarthur Field tournaments. Our field course, popular with archers, featured a unique mix of conditions, including water hazards not found anywhere else in NSW. Sadly, housing development by Landcom and the University forced us to vacate the location in 2011.
We are deeply grateful to Camden Council for their ongoing support in providing our current home at Cut Hill Reserve (Fred Small Oval) in Cobbitty. We’re also excited to see the Council’s plans to redevelop and enhance the facilities, which will allow even more people to enjoy outdoor activities in the future.