TUESDAY night’s decision to allow the sale of guns at the 2015 Narooma HuntFest has left opponents “disappointed and deflated”.

Narooma resident Kathie Thackray is one of those who have expressed objections to an amendment to the HuntFest approval, which has given organisers an “unrestricted arms fair permit” allowing the sale of firearms and some ammunition.

The Eurobodalla Shire Council voted in favour of the amendment on Tuesday night.

“As an individual I am very disappointed,” MS Thackray said.

“I don’t feel the councillors really represented the people.

“There were so many submissions, petitions and phone calls expressing dismay at the idea of selling guns at HuntFest.

“The people have spoken and we feel deflated and unrepresented.”

Ms Thackray highlighted a petition presented to council last month with 40,000 signatures opposing the HuntFest application.

“The hunters are saying you’re a small group of whingers and party poopers,” she said.

“Maybe we are a minority [fronting up to council], but all the people who came to sign the petition showed just how much opposition there is.”

Ms Thackray also took exception to the council’s representation of the submissions.

She said 511 submissions were summarised in two sentences.

“Thirty-three words to express all those views is very disappointing – council needs to be taken to task”.

According to the council meeting agenda, of the 511 submissions 21 failed to address the amendments and one was duplicated.

Of the 489 remaining, 271 supported the application for an arms sale permit and mobile shooting range and 218 opposed them.

The council also broke down the submissions into which came from residents or otherwise.

According to the meeting business papers, supporting the amendments were 38 residents, 196 non-residents and 37 unspecified.

Opposing were 166 residents, 39 non-residents and 13 unspecified.

THE NSW Shooters and Fishers Party is pleased “a sense of normality” has been brought to the debate around HuntFest Narooma, with approval granted by the Eurobodalla Council this week for the sale of firearms at the annual event.

Shooters MP Robert Borsak said hunting and shooting shows are held all over the country in some form or another, but that the sale of firearms “was being used in an emotive way by opponents”.

“People need to realise you can’t just walk up and buy firearms at HuntFest – and I’m sure that came up during the council discussions,” Mr Borsak said.

“And with the mobile shooting range - it is being run in a pretty controlled environment.

“I think it’s [the council approval] a feather in the cap for the guys down there,” he said, referring to the South Coast Hunters Club behind HuntFest.

“Some must think Narooma belongs to the Greens and no-one else, but that’s just not the way it is.

“Anything that encourages the economy can only be a good thing.”

Mr Borsak said while the South Coast had state forests available to hunters, there had been no further discussions on opening national parks to amateur hunters since a trial program began earlier this year.

“We’ll see what happens after the election,” he said.