Well, anywhere else perhaps, except of course if you’re one of the small group of Narooma locals that, after six years, still whine about Huntfest.

The Eurobodalla region offers some of the best State Forest hunting in NSW and HuntFest organisers do a great job in promoting conservation hunting in the local area.

We were shocked to read the “advertorial” article in the online edition of Narooma News (June 3, 2018), titled “Family Fun Day at Narooma HuntFest”.

Do you seriously consider the selling of fire arms a “family fun day”? Do you seriously consider that encouraging children to kill animals is fun (“entry for children under the age of 16 free”)?

Why are you advertising this contentious activity? Your “article” simply consists of quoting the organisers’ advertisements. “We will have free show bags for the children this year too,” Mr Field said. What will these bags contain - sample bullets, videos of animals being shot, samples of animal parts for children to practise their knife skills?

If it is family fun, why not have a demonstration of how to shoot an animal at the Huntfest or competitions for different children ages? All of this is abhorrent and a terrifying thought. An animal being shot in the head or body is not family fun and children should never be encouraged to think so.

We are disappointed our community newspaper allowed itself to be exploited by an organisation trying to expand the use of firearms in the community. This goes against the Australian community’s overwhelming commitment to reducing firearms and increasing firearm control, following on from the John Howard conservative government’s gun reduction initiative many years ago. Thousands of petition signatures against HuntFest and arms fairs gathered over several years by a cross-section of local community groups demonstrate that these types of events are not in the public interest, nor wanted locally. This is Australia, not the USA

The real purpose of Animals in the Wild is to create a gimmick for David Shoebridge to gain some small town media exposure to promote intolerance and social prejudice within the community. 

It works; at least seven people turn up every year. 

Gotta love the Greens’ position on inclusive society that does not include sporting and recreational shooters, hunters, fishers and farmers. 

Not difficult to choose between a happy, fun-filled family event or a depressing bunch of people trying to cram mean spirited hateful opinions down your throat. 

Pretty photo's can disguise ugliness, but they cannot hide it. 

David's competition is a masquerade for bigotry that uses photography to lure unsuspecting victims. 

Good people do not stand under those banners.

Huntfest is an issue that some are sick of hearing about, yet so many are still passionate about (from both sides) in regards to debating its economic/social/ethical costs and benefits.

Rather than contribute to that ongoing debate at this time, I am today commenting from a democratic and governance perspective.  What saddens me most and leaves me with a lingering feeling of contempt, is that the majority of the previous elected councillor body voted to extend this event for five more years as they neared the term of their accountability and responsibility.

They did this being fully conscious that it was a highly controversial and divisive local issue within THEIR community. It was not just another 'ho-hum', rubber stamp event.

They could have granted a licence extension for a further 1 year ( or even 2 years if they were feeling obstreperous.) But no, they went for a five year extension, after what, in my opinion, was an inappropriate, non-transparent 'tender-for-services' process.

They did so with undoubted (but unknown) bureaucratic advice, knowing that such a decision would take the determination beyond the term of office of a ' yet-to-elected and soon-to-be incoming, new composition of councillors to have any say in.

Only three members of that council body are still sitting.  Their shameful legacy on this issue remains. As does the divisiveness within the community. An 'underarm bowling' victory (to date), if ever I saw one for cynical politics.

A fantastic event that gets better and better every single year. Well done!

I was dismayed to see an event advertised as a family fun day.

Just because the organisers provide  free show bags and free entry for kids does not make it a family-friendly day. Killing animals for pleasure is not the way most of us choose to spend our family time, nor watching animals skinned or butchered.

Promoting gun ownership and selling guns and ammunition is not going to make our community a more caring or safer place.

This event is an  arms fair. The Sporting Shooters Association of Australia, or SSAA, holds the license for the arms fair. The outdoors camping expo is just a front to encourage gun ownership and assist in the aims of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party,  the gun manufacturers and sellers and, ultimately, the National Rifle Association (NRA), which supports the SSAA. Visitors to the event are being used for political gain as when they walk through the gate their numbers are added to the attendance register.

It is a shame the Bodalla Fair is not on this year. It is always a great family thing to do. However there are two other annual events which always keep the Narooma motels full and the town busy.  Both our clubs are flat out with the Seahorse Classic at Narooma Golf Club and the Big Water Fours tournament at Club Narooma.

If you need ideas for family friendly activities for the weekend: the wood workers exhibition at Tilba is always excellent, and there is the wonderful photo display of Animals in the Wild at Gallery Bodalla if you would like to see animals alive rather than dead; or take the dog to the beach; or ee the kangaroos at Potato Point; or head to Potoroo Palace, Mogo Zoo or Birdland for family fun with live animals.