Final shooting with Mk75 76mm gun marks end of an era for Australian Navy.

On October 17, the Australian Department of Defense reported that more than 100 people attended the West Head gunnery range at Flinders, Victoria, for the final firing and decommissioning of the 76mm medium calibre gun (MCG), marking the end of more than three decades of service at the range.
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The 76mm medium calibre gun fires an 80-round burst at West Head gunnery range at Flinders, Victoria (Picture source: Leading Seaman James McDougall/Royal Australian Navy)

The Australian Navy has transitioned to the 5-inch MCG and future training will be delivered through virtual-reality simulation and onboard training, so the decommissioning of the Mk75 76mm gun represented the end of 64 years of Navy shore-based medium calibre live-fire training. Mk75 76mm gun

West Head gunnery range Officer in Command Lieutenant Commander Peter Arnold said it marked the end of an era: “The 76mm gun installation was fitted at West Head in November 1992, and in the years since has provided thousands of sailors and officers with training in medium calibre naval gunnery”.

The 76mm gun was instrumental in training maintainers from Australia and the Philippines up until 2019. It was also used as part of principal warfare officer training and skill development in medium-calibre gunnery.

The Royal Australian Navy assumed responsibility for the West Head gunnery range in 1958 and has been operating the site as Navy's live-fire gunnery training facility for close-range and medium-calibre gunnery ever since. It continues to operate two Typhoon weapon systems, a Mini Typhoon system and five 12.7mm machine guns. “West Head gunnery range has a long and distinguished history of providing world-class, shore-based live-fire training,” Lieutenant Commander Arnold said. “The facility will continue to provide our sailors with valuable hands-on experience in various naval weapons systems, ensuring they are prepared for their roles at sea.” 

Weapons Electrical Engineering Officers Application Course 02/23 members at the West Head gunnery range (Picture source: Leading Seaman James McDougall/Royal Australian Navy)