AFF Gathering #14 in CBR on 4 - 6 December 2020

Added to Calendar: 04-12-20, 05-12-20, 06-12-20

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**This event is now fully booked! For those who've already registered, this thread contains important information & updates about the weekend. We look forward to seeing you soon.**

Canberra has been chosen as the AFF Annual Gathering destination for 2020, occurring over the weekend of the 4th to 6th December; this will be the second time the event has been held in the final month of the year. The average temperature range for December is 11.9ºC to 26.3ºC. The average rainfall is 53.2mm with 7 rainy days. It is Australia's eighth most populous city (as of June 2018) representing 1.83% of Australia.

Canberra has previously played host to an Annual Gathering, as the fifth city chosen in the fourth year (2011). On that occasion, 13 attendees made the journey. Canberra is not the first city to play host twice, with Melbourne previously taking that honour as the first (2008) and eighth (2014); Adelaide as the second (2008) and twelfth (2018); and more recently Sydney as the third (2009) and thirteenth (2019).

Helping to organise this year will be @support & @Mattg.

If you're attending, we recommend downloading the Check in CBR App. Due to COVID-19, please be mindful to practice good hygiene and social distancing where possible. If you are unwell, please do not attend.




Schedule

Here is the itinerary for the weekend:

Friday 4th December
To start the weekend, we'll be holding a dinner at Southern Cross Yacht Club, Yarralumla. You are welcome to arrive between 6.30pm-7.30pm for drinks at the bar, and dinner will be served from 7.30pm-9.30pm. There will be a fixed 3-course menu (we can account for dietary requirements), and the cost is $59 per person. Drinks will be available for purchase from the bar on the night.

Saturday 5th December - morning activities

Saturday Activity Option 1 - Parliament House tour

We'll meet at Parliament House and join a 30-minute public tour of the building. There is no cost for this activity - you'll just need to make your own transport arrangements to/from Parliament House. You must be at Parliament House by 10.15am, in preparation for the tour which will take place from 10.30-11am. We'll meet outside the main entrance, before the security checkpoint.

Saturday Activity Option 2 - visit to Australian War Memorial
Join other AFF members for a visit to Australian War Memorial. Please note that tours are not currently available, so you'll be visiting as a guest. There is no cost for this activity - you'll just need to make your own transport arrangements to/from Australian War Memorial. Meet outside the main entrance at 11.30am.

Saturday Activity Option 3 - Full-day winery tour
This will be a full-day winery tour with a maximum of 10 people, running from around 9.30am until approximately 3.30pm. You'll be picked up from Pepper's Gallery Hotel in Civic in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle and visit 3 wineries in the Canberra region. The cost is $190/person and includes lunch at Olleyville as well as a professional guide for the day. Note: This tour includes visits to wineries in NSW and it is recommended that you eat breakfast before joining the tour.

Saturday 5th December - evening
On Saturday evening, we'll be holding a dinner at Kingston Hotel. Before the dinner, there will be an optional one-hour Frequent Flyer Points Masterclass + Q&A session hosted by AFF editor Matt Graham from 6-7pm. This event is sponsored by Frequent Flyer Solutions and attendance is free, but you'll need to register.

After this, the main dinner will commence at 7.15pm. There will be a guest speaker at this dinner. Members will be able to order and pay for food & drinks on the night - no pre-payment is required.

Sunday 6th December
On Sunday we're offering a sightseeing tour to some of Canberra's best outdoor spots.

Sunday Tour - Mt Ainslie, Lanyon Homestead & Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
Departing from Pepper's Hotel at 9.45am on Sunday morning, we'll visit Mt Ainslie for panoramic views over Canberra before heading to the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the south of Canberra, where you'll see some of the local wildlife including koalas and we'll stop for a short walk. Along the way, we'll visit Lanyon Homestead for a homestead heritage tour and lunch at the Barracks Café. We'll return to the airport by 4.45pm & the city at around 5pm. The cost is $80/person excluding lunch. This tour will remain entirely within the ACT and we recommend bringing a bottle of water with you.
 
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What is open at CBR airport on Sundays between 5pm and 7pm?

(Aside from the QP)

City Hill Coffee (which also accepts Priority Pass) will probaby be open. There may also be a bar nearby, but I'm not sure if that's reopened yet.
 
Will masks be necessary ?

I have never worn one and don't own any. Should I buy some ?
 
Will masks be necessary ?

I have never worn one and don't own any. Should I buy some ?

I don't foresee masks being necessary unless the ACT government decides to mandate them between now and the gathering.

You may choose to wear one if you prefer, particularly while on the bus if you're doing one of the tours.

If you're flying to CBR, you may be provided with one and/or be asked to wear one during the flight. In any case, you can buy face masks from any pharmac_ for around $2 each so it wouldn't hurt to get a couple.
 
I am still planning to attend and submitted the SA cross border forms so that I can return. With what is going on in SA at the moment I maybe a late scratching.
 
I can now confirm that the Parliament House tour will go ahead. The tour is confirmed for the 11 people that expressed interest. The guided tour will be at 10.30am on Saturday morning and goes for 30 minutes. You will need to be there by 10.15am to sign in and clear security before the tour starts. Please don't be late! :)

The group visiting the Australian War Memorial will then meet there at 11.30am. This will give an opportunity for those attending both the Parliament House tour and War Memorial to get to the War Memorial afterwards.
 
My flight details:

I've added your flight details to post #3 of this thread, where I've also listed members' accommodation details if known.

If anyone else would like to have their flight/hotel details added to post #3, please post them here or send them to me in a conversation.
 
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I had a Rydges booking at $106 per night but have changed to The Crown Plaza with their Cyber Sale


It is $7 more in total for the two nights but will keep a useful amount of IHG points from expiring next month as well as earn double points.
 
Just on the off chance anyone from WA is still thinking of coming, it looks like the WA government has the following requirement for those returning to WA from ACT:

Travellers from a very low risk state or territory who have knowingly had contact with a person from a medium or low risk state or territory in the 14 days before travelling will be subject to the same quarantine conditions as that person and must self-quarantine for 14 days when returning to WA.

Unfortunately, this pretty much rules out quarantine-free travel back to WA. :(
 
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Things are looking better than a week ago :). Arrive - 4/12 QF1562 16:00, accommodation - Rydges, depart 6/12 QF1559 13:15.
OT with yesterdays QF status extension announcement I cancelled and rebooked the return flight this morning after this weekend my current status will be locked in until mid 22.
 
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Just on the off chance anyone from WA is still thinking of coming, it looks like the WA government has the following requirement for those returning to WA from ACT:



Unfortunately, this pretty much rules out quarantine-free travel back to WA. :(

Just not worth the hassle or risk of sudden changes.

My elder son's GF went to SA for work just after the SA/WA opening - and got caught by the pizza shop debacle. Spent one night in SA and is now in home iso back in PER.
 
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