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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