UPCOMING RACE DAYS
BROADMEADOW RACECOURSE
High Alert Paintball Action … You Might Get Hooked !
WORDS MICHELLE MEEHAN
The last thing Tim Miller wanted to do after he left the Army Reserve in 1987 was run around playing soldier in the bush , shooting people with pellets of paint . But one game with his brother was all it took for the Hunter man to become hooked and set off down a path that would see him turn his newfound passion for paintball into a lifelong career .
Three years after his first taste of the action-packed activity , Tim opened Hunter Valley Paintball on a 30-acre property at Eagleton , just outside of Raymond Terrace .
And 27 years later Tim is still providing opportunities for adrenaline-junkies to experience the thrill of simulated military combat missions .
“ I got out of the Army Reserve and my brother asked me to come and play this paintball game with him but I was not interested at all ,” Tim said .
“ I eventually played one game with him – and I have been hooked ever since . This is a real adrenaline rush .
“ You really get into it thinking ‘ I ’ ve got to get them before they get me ,' it becomes a challenge and gets all your senses going , you ’ re on alert all the time .
“ The game gives you the sense of not being in control of the situation and it ’ s a little buzz . You ’ ve also got to have that feeling of being a big kid to enjoy it . I ’ m 51 now , and I still haven ’ t grown up !”
Over the years Tim has developed and expanded Hunter Valley Paintball as he took advantage of the variety of the natural terrain on offer to create a range of different experiences for participants to enjoy .
He has also created a series of “ urban ” settings , featuring everything from the crashed carcass of a Huey helicopter and a couple of wrecked cars to corrugated iron and concrete block-lined streetscapes that provide the perfect cover for a sniper ambush .
There are eight “ battlefields ” in total – The Street , Black Hawk Down , Ant ’ s Nest , Omaha
Beach , Ruins , Two Forks , Pig Pen and Wetlands - with participants taking part in a different “ mission ” at each one .
Tim said providing scenarios for people to role play rather than just an open area to engage in a paintball free-for-all is one of the features that sets Hunter Valley Paintball apart from its competitors .
“ My initial set-up was using the creeks , gullies and bush fields naturally available as I was only renting the land but after I had bought the land from the owners I was able to set up a number of urban playing fields at the back as well ,” Tim said .
“ It ’ s something different that other fields don ’ t have . A lot of places use pallets and barricades , but it doesn ’ t give you the same feeling of being in a street .
“ Each playing field is set for a scenario , and I think these themes add to the experience . You feel as if you are in a role , playing a game , because there ’ s an objective , so for example at Omaha Beach , you have to make your way into the trenches and eliminate everyone in the trenches to take the bunker .”
Each paintball session takes four hours , with participants playing two 15-minute games on each battlefield before they move on to another area , with rest breaks in between .
Participants can choose from a range of packages that all include the hire of the specialised paintball gun , JF xfire thermal goggle system and camouflage-coloured overalls , with prices varying depending on how many paintballs you want to take into battle with you .
Morning sessions are followed by a free barbecue lunch on site for all participants , which Tim said is a great place for people to share their “ war stories ,” compare their bruises and decide who will walk away from the day with bragging rights .
Players also love to finish their day with a photo in front of the venue ’ s other , more famous helicopter located near the administration building , which was originally built to be used in the Matrix movie .
SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER - MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION RACE DAY
- CASUAL EATS FROM STREET FOOD TRUCKS - SUMMER SERIES OF LIVE MUSIC 4:30-6:30PM
MONDAY 26 DECEMBER - BOXING DAY RACES
- $ 20 PRE-PURCHASE OR $ 30 ON THE DAY
BONUS ! BUY ONE GET ONE FREE GENERAL ENTRY BEFORE 19 DECEMBER - PAVILION VIP COCKTAIL LOUNGE $ 80PP - MEMBERS LOUNGE - MEMBERS $ 15PP AND NON MEMBERS $ 50PP - MARK MURPHY - MEMBERS $ 15PP AND NON MEMBERS $ 35PP
SATURDAY 7 JANUARY - NJC RACE DAY
- SUMMER MENU AT CHEVALS RESTAURANT FROM $ 79PP MEMBERS AND $ 89PP NON MEMBERS
- SUMMER SERIES OF LIVE MUSIC 4:30-6:30PM
SATURDAY 21 JANUARY - BEACH PARTY
- POP ON YOUR COOLEST BEACHSIDE GLAM FOR A DAY ON OUR VERY OWN MAN-MADE BEACH
- DRINK SPECIALS , LIVE MUSIC AND GIVEAWAYS GALORE
CESSNOCK RACECOURSE
TUESDAY 13 DECEMBER - FREE ENTRY SUNDAY 29 JANUARY - FREE FAMILY FUN DAY
FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT NJC . COM . AU
THINK ABOUT YOUR CHOICES . CALL GAMBLING HELP ON 1800 858 858 OR VISIT WWW . GAMBLINGHELP . NSW . GOV . AU
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