Compiled by Bruce Scott, President of the NRAA
It is said there are but a few people who have great impact in a generation – John ‘Johnno’ Johnstone OAM was one such person. As such I decided, that for the benefit of our sport and to preserve our sport’s rich history, I would not attempt to summarise Johnno’s service to our sport but publish, in full, the Shooting Eulogy (three parts) as delivered at Johnno’s funeral service in Brisbane on Friday 10 October 2025.
Shooting Eulogy
Part 1 by Bruce Scott
Isobel, the Johnstone family, Johnno’s many friends from the target shooting sports, ladies and gentlemen. Johnno’s shooting eulogy will be delivered in three parts.
I will talk about Johnno, his start with competitive shooting at school and his commitment to his beloved UQRC. And finish with a little about MDRA and electronic targets.
Rex Wigney will follow me highlighting Johnno’s commitment to and impact on all QRA matters.
To conclude, Richard Kenny will give an insight into Johnno’s passion for the QRA’s history and his deep regard for riflemen who paid the ultimate sacrifice, particularly during the two World Wars.
My earliest interaction with Johnno was around 1983 when I joined UQRC having just moved to Enoggera Barracks. 1983 & 1984 were two great years of shooting for the club members with many club team victories. A bond developed between Johhno & Isobel and Sue & I that has survived the 40+ years that followed.
Last week I reached out to Greg Faux of UQRC and John Menzel of MDRA seeking the detail of Johnno’s time at the club and MDRA. When I received his list of ‘quiet’ achievements, I was not surprised as over the years Johnno’s passion for shooting never waned and his goals for the sport’s future grew.
This week I realised that Johnno and I shared much when it came to shooting and some of what we shared will become obvious as I speak today.
Johnno went to school at TSS (1957-1963) with another UQRC & QRA stalwart, Rod Bickell. Rod is watching the live stream at home so I hope I get this right! Both Rod and Johnno were in the same class and started shooting in their high school years with Johnno going on to become the TSS shooting champion in 1962 and 1963. I started shooting on the family property, but it was at TSS that my skill with a rifle was also kindled. Johnno found, as I did, that shooting and school cadets went hand in glove at TSS. We were both awarded school Colours for our school shooting prowess. Johnno was smarter – he went to uni and I joined the infantry!!
He was at that time a member of Barcaldine Rifle Club and also shot with the Southport Rifle Club under the tutelage of Clive Thiedeke until completing Senior in 1963. Johnno join the Uni Rifle Club in 1964.
He shot in Intervarsity in 1965 and 1966 but his shooting was intermittent during the late 1960’s as he had to spend a lot of time helping back on the family farm. Johnno and I were both good ole Queensland country boys.
He won a UQ blue in 1965 but didn’t ever go to a dinner until Isobel won a half blue in 1974. I should mention that Isobel joined UQRC in 1971 and first met Johnno when he attended one of the club functions sometime thereafter.
He was appointed Secretary/Treasurer of UQRC in about 1968, a position he held until about three years ago – a marathon effort of approximately 55 years!!
Johnno was a member of many UQRC fixtures pennants teams from 1964 to 2005 (a period of 41 years) which included the UQRC glory days of the 1980’s. UQRC dominated in the 1980’s with Johnno at the helm supported by Isobel, a top shot, and master coach and good friend, Ken McLachlan.
His personal success at UQRC was impressive being club champion 13 times between 1965 and 1994. Johnno’s most significant individual successes were winning the 1984 NQRA Queens and 1986 VRA Queens.
UQRC has always been very grateful to both Johnno and Isobel for their significant financial generosity to the club.
As a small token of the club’s acknowledgement for the esteem in which Johnno was held in the club, in 2022 UQRC named their club house, “The John “Johnno” Johnstone OAM Club House” and a plaque to that effect is on the club house.
UQRC offered Johnno Life Membership a number of times but I am advised that he declined.
ohnno was a lovable rogue with a dry sense of homour. In late 1984 Sue and I moved to Canada. I had a run of success at Prize Meetings that year with my cash winnings, along with all other successful club members, being sent to UQRC, in a consolidated cheque by the host club. Johnno was the Treasurer. Before flying out I asked Johnno, with some trepidation, if I could get a cash payment and he nodded at my request. Being farewelled on my last day with the club, Johnno presented me a central sight box announcing payment in full and that I might find these useful in Canada. He had converted my cash prizes into about 25 x UQRC club badges!!
Now to MDRA Electronic Targets. In 2013 an idea was floated to purchase electronic targets for the Duncan Range at Belmont. There was a core committee representing 4 MDRA clubs tasked with putting together an application to government for a grant.
Johnno represented UQRC and was very enthusiastic about bringing full bore shooting into the electronic age – at the same time I was agitating for electronic targets for the NQRA annual championships. He recognised very early on that marked targets would become expensive and electronic ones were the future.
The grant application was successful and within 12 months the government made another amount available based upon the submission put together by Johnno and the original four clubs. There was resistance from many clubs and also individuals in the original four clubs to the introduction of the electronic targets but Johnno kept pushing on.
When the second round of funding was successful, the Duncan Range had 24 electronic targets.
Johnno, in his wisdom, thought 24 targets was probably not going to be enough so he generously personally funded 6 additional targets and deeded them to the QRA. Whilst these targets are based at Belmont, they are available for any of the QRA clubs to use at their prize meetings.
He then thought that more shed space was required for the maintenance and funded a 3 bay shed at the butts on the Duncan Range. Of course he was correct again and this shed has proved invaluable for storage and maintenance. Fond memories were created at the maintenance working bees. Johnno would turn up in, not what you would call working clothes, saying to one and all – ‘I’m useless at anything to do with power tools’ but he was ignored and put to work anyway.
For many years he was Treasurer of the working group managing the targets on behalf of the clubs and getting funds from him for maintenance was a process.
Johnno was a visionary. He was a critical member of the original group who wanted to drag full bore shooting into the modern age. His vision of electronic targets for our sport in Queensland will benefit members for many years to come.
Johnno was always looking to the future and his vision included a merger between QRA & NQRA. As Chairman NQRA, when Johnno was President QRA, I enjoyed regular discussions (off the books) with Johnno about such merger. My position was direct – why would two successful associations merge? I would cheekily end each discussion telling Johnno I might consider it if I was to be appointed Treasurer of the merged entity. Needless to say that was certainly not palatable to Johnno who would not raise the issue again for a further 12 months.
It is said there are but a few people who have great impact in a generation – Johnno was one such person.
Johnno, thank you for the memories and your great friendship. You will not be forgotten. Rest in Peace.
Part 2 by Rex Wigney
Like Bruce, my first link with John (I never called him Johnno as I didn’t think I had been around long enough to have earned that privilege) was when Meredith and I joined Uni of Queensland Rifle Club in 1998.
In 2003 I applied for the position of Executive Officer Queensland Rifle Association and in my interview said finance was not my strong point. With Johnno, Gordan and Rob on the Board, I didn’t have to worry.
I wish to acknowledge the contribution of Rob Rush to provide a summary of Johnno’s time spent on the management of QRA.
Johnno initially joined the Council of the QRA during the mid 1980’s. With his background in accounting and business, and being of Scottish descent, it was not long before he was focusing the meetings on fiscal matters – Johnno didn’t like spending too much.
In 1989 the then Federal Labor Government was keen to sell the Belmont Complex for development to raise funds for other purposes. Johnno along with the other QRA Board members at the time was instrumental in establishing a strategic plan to counter the move.
Part of the strategy was to bring together all the major Site Users on the Complex to unite and raise a fighting fund to defend the Complex against this sale. As such the Belmont Site Users Association was established with Johnno as its first President. He was instrumental in setting up the Site Levy to raise funds for the task ahead. Later he was the Treasurer, and I remember at each meeting he would spark up when asked to give his report. He often said he would retire when the fund reached $1m. This figure was surpassed but he didn’t retire until years later.
Isobel stated to me last week that the security of the Belmont Complex was Johnno’s proudest achievement.
Johnno took on the Presidency of the Queensland Rifle Association in the early 2000’s and served in this role until his retirement in 2011.
His vision for the QRA was that of an all-inclusive City and Country association of Clubs. He along with the Board set about to reinvigorate the QRA following on from “Port Arthur” and the changes in Gun Laws that had taken place.
Major initiatives undertaken during his tenure were:
- Rewrite of the Constitution
- Modernising the Board operation with Board members undergoing a Myers Briggs evaluation
- Redevelopment of a new 1000 yard firing point on Duncan range
- Redevelopment of the Office and accommodation precinct on Belmont
- Set up of the Q store
- Redevelopment of QRA Bar
- Increased safety by way of new stop butts (he called it Winning Dirt Lotto)
- Increased marketing activities
- Grants to regional clubs to improve their facilities
- Increased funds to support State Teams
More recently he has supported the development of the Werths Rd Range on the Downs. Jim Breeze has offered the following words:
‘From the outset, Johnno had been the most solid of stalwarts in favour of the project. He had a strong conviction that the sport needed key venues geographically to cement a long and secure future. “Jewels in the crown” he called them.
He considered that the future of the sport on the Downs hinged on a facility such as Werth’s Rd being available, thus his regular questions and intense interest into how it was progressing.
We now know Johnno will not be attending the opening of the range in person, but on that day, we will be standing on the shoulders of giants who are owed much, including John Stuart Johnstone. We will feel him around in spirit and for his faith in the range creation and his generosity for which we say thank you Johnno.’
The words Vision, Legacy, Future, Passion come through from each person we speak to about Johnno.
I am all the better for having known and worked with him.
We should all be proud of what he has left us. RIP
Part 3 by Richard Kenny OAM
Isobel, the Johnstone family, Johnno’s many friends from the target shooting sports, ladies and gentlemen.
My earliest interaction with Johnno was at 300m shooting. Later, we became very involved in Syndicate 1’s electronic targets project, which fulfilled Johnno’s ambition of replacing Belmont’s manual targets with electronic targets.
By the time I joined the Museum Committee most of the hard work in the Museum project had been completed by Johnno and Isobel and their team of committed volunteers. The Museum building, financed by Johnno and Isobel, was completed in 2014.
Johnno had a passion for the history of rifle shooting. The Museum channelled Johnno’s determination, energy, insight and knowledge into the project. Bill Casey was also engaged by Johnno to write Home on the Range, updating the history of QRA for its 150th anniversary.
Johnno also initiated an ambitious project to identify and record the names of the QRA Riflemen killed in the Great War for the Museum’s new Roll of Honour Boards. Johnno was immensely proud of the Honour Boards, and took great care in personally overseeing their production.
Fast forward to 2017. Johnno phoned me one morning and declared much to my surprise “I want to build a war memorial for the 560 QRA Riflemen killed in the First World War”. We quickly established an initial volunteer project team, the forerunner the Commemorations Committee of the QRA.
Working to an 18-month lead time, the project team agreed the project design with QRA, secured political support at all three levels of government and, funding from DVA and Belmont Site Users for the initial build.
The ACWM was consecrated on 11 NOV 2018, the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice ending the Great War of 1914 -1918. The Roll of Honour boards took pride of place during the service.
Johnno’s vision encompassed more than a war memorial. He keenly understood that the future of Belmont Shooting Complex very much depends on our ongoing relationship with the local community. Johnno anticipated that the ACWM would bring together the local community and users of the Belmont Complex in shared commemoration at the ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day services.
The ACWM project has lived up to Johnno’s expectations. Community attendances at ANZAC day services have increased every year since 2018. Local school children are involved in the services and 100,000 nearby residents can now claim the ACWM as their local community’s war memorial.
I now want to focus on Johnno’s awards which are displayed here today. The awards are:
- Life membership of the QRA
- The Australian Sports Medal
- The Medal of the Order of Australia
Historically, the QRA awards one Life Membership every 10 years, and the bar is set very high. Potential life members must show achievements in target rifle shooting eg winning the Queens and/or Kings prize, and by their actions and physical efforts, they must have enhanced the standing of the Association.
In 2019, QRA recognised Johnno’s extraordinary contribution to the sport of target rifle shooting in Queensland and Australia with Life Membership of the QRA.
In May 2000, Johnno was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for: –
“In excess of 15 years exceptional service as an administrator to the State administration [of rifle shooting]”.
That was almost 40 years of exceptional service when Johnno finally stood down for health reasons.
In the 2017 Australia Day Honours List Johnno was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to rifle shooting.
I will now read a Tribute to Johnno on behalf of the Order of Australia Association.
We are assembled here to pay a last tribute to our departed colleague John Stuart Johnstone OAM, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for exceptional achievements above and beyond as a citizen of Australia, and in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of the community in which he served.
Rest in Peace, Johnno.
