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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I have updated Post #4 of this thread with a list of everyone whose attendance is confirmed so far, and which activities each person will be attending. I'll continue to update this list.

If you are not on this list, and have already confirmed your attendance, please contact me.

The event is now almost full. However I do still have a few more spaces available at most activities except for the winery tour. If you are interested in coming and are not yet registered, please contact me and I'll see what we can do for you.
 
Also, I now have the menu for Friday night's dinner at the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club. It's a set menu with alternate drop service (i.e. there are 2 entrees, mains and desserts distributed alternatively and you can always swap with your neighbour if you both prefer the other option).

For those who've indicated dietary requirements, I have already been in touch with you to make alternative arrangements. If there are any issues, please let me know.

Entrees:
Berkshire Pork Belly (gf)
Warm pork belly and skin crackers, served with daikon, carrot and sesame seed salad and house made plum sauce
or
Salmon Parfait
House made Tasmanian smoked salmon and Philadelphia cheese parfait, served with pickled cucumber, dill and salmon roe jelly and rye toast

Mains:
Freshly Battered Fish
Fresh Tasman sea fish fillet battered and served with a generous portion of chips, tossed salad with Bad Sally balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil
or
Riverina Lamb (gf)
Tender slow roasted spring lamb rump marinated in rosemary, served with roasted kipfler potato and baby carrot with fresh salsa verde

Desserts:
Crema Catalana
Classic Spanish citrus brulee served with house-made pistachio biscotti
or
Cheese Plate
Selection of three artisan slices of cheese served with crackers, seasonal house-made preserves and fruits
 
Also, I now have the menu for Friday night's dinner at the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club. It's a set menu with alternate drop service (i.e. there are 2 entrees, mains and desserts distributed alternatively and you can always swap with your neighbour if you both prefer the other option).
I'd like the following - anyone willing to sit next to me?
Salmon Parfait
Riverina Lamb (gf)
Crema Catalana
 
Are there any COVID-19 based processes that need to be undertaken in respect to each activity/meal?

e.g. Sign In/Barcode at meal venues?
 
@serfty I'de expect so. There is at my kids little athletics and my golf club and I think such sign ins form a part of Covid safe plans venues are required to have. Just scan the QR code with your phone camera and give a name/number, or provide those details on a separate form.
 
Not sure. I think the QR code is a generic government one. I've got the app ("Check in CBR") which makes it quick and easy.
 
Most smart phones you just point your camera at the QR code and a mesage appears asking if you want to open the URL, click yes takes you to a venue specific sign-in page in your default browser.

I know in NSW there are govt issued QR codes which you can read through the service NSW app if your phone is too old to automatically recognise QR codes, but the service NSW app only reads their QR codes not any QR code.

My dads lower end android didnt read QR codes automatically, so I just downloaded him a generic QR code reader so that it doesnt matter if the venue is using govt issued or another QR system, he can easily check in anywhere.
 
Are there any COVID-19 based processes that need to be undertaken in respect to each activity/meal?

e.g. Sign In/Barcode at meal venues?

Most of the individual venues will probably have their own contact tracing procedures upon entering.

For those booked on a tour, l'll be providing everyone's contact details to the tour/bus company in advance. But I expect you'll have to sign in to each of the individual venues visited during the tours as well.

You may wish to download the "Check in CBR" App prior to the weekend, although I think you should be able to get by without it, i.e. with regular QR code/handwritten registrations.
 
I've applied for an Interstate Seniors MyWay Travel Card. (I have a Victorian Seniors Card.)

I hope I did not leave it too late as it provides for free PT travel during off peak times.

Does the 3 bus still service the airport?
 
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WRT menu, my prefernece would be:

Entree:
Berkshire Pork Belly - I dont eat Salmon (or any oily fish Tuna, Trout, Mackeral)

Mains:
Riverina Lamb but will happily eat the Freshly Battered Fish (provided this is a white fleshed fish)

Desserts:
Crema Catalana

Hopefully there are enough Salmon and Cheese fans in attendance to want to swap if necessary.
 
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Also, I now have the menu for Friday night's dinner at the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club. It's a set menu with alternate drop service (i.e. there are 2 entrees, mains and desserts distributed alternatively and you can always swap with your neighbour if you both prefer the other option).

For those who've indicated dietary requirements, I have already been in touch with you to make alternative arrangements. If there are any issues, please let me know.

Entrees:
Berkshire Pork Belly (gf)
Warm pork belly and skin crackers, served with daikon, carrot and sesame seed salad and house made plum sauce
or
Salmon Parfait
House made Tasmanian smoked salmon and Philadelphia cheese parfait, served with pickled cucumber, dill and salmon roe jelly and rye toast

Mains:
Freshly Battered Fish
Fresh Tasman sea fish fillet battered and served with a generous portion of chips, tossed salad with Bad Sally balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil
or
Riverina Lamb (gf)
Tender slow roasted spring lamb rump marinated in rosemary, served with roasted kipfler potato and baby carrot with fresh salsa verde

Desserts:
Crema Catalana
Classic Spanish citrus brulee served with house-made pistachio biscotti
or
Cheese Plate
Selection of three artisan slices of cheese served with crackers, seasonal house-made preserves and fruits
It's easy for me - I'll just have what MrsK doesn't want.
 
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