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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Travel/Accommodation Details

ArrivalDeparture
UsernameDayTimeFlightAccommodationDayTimeFlight
MattgRydges
AIRwinFriday11:50VA1212Sunday20:40QF1554
Doug_WestcottPeppers
SprucegooseRydges
Jacques Vert + Gem56Private
gwilli1GW001RydgesGW001
Bindibuys & +1FridayRydgesMonday
DrakeculaLocal
jxv & +1
Bazzi & +1Hotel Kurrajong
RG1 & +1Local
Lynda2475Friday13:30QF1505PeppersSunday19:00QF1512
Townsend & +1Vibe Canberra Airport
HoatzinLocal
JessicaTamRydges
Susan Marks & +1Local
HvrRydges
Skyhawk & +1
Bundy BearCrowne Plaza
BernadetteOLocal
Straitman & SueOzFridayApprox 1500SS001RydgesMondayApprox 1000SS002
khyber & +1FridayApprox 1500GC001Private??????
_flyer & +1
Major & mrsmajorFridayRydgesMonday
Matt_01Friday16:00QF1562RydgesSunday13:15QF1559
serftyFriday10:50VA261Crowne PlazaSunday18:20VA264
admin & Millie
HarvykLocal
Kookaburra75 & +1Local
Princess FionaMidnightSunday
 
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Event Attendance

AFF HandleFriday DinnerWinery tourParliament HouseWar MemorialPoints MasterclassSaturday DinnerSunday tour
Mattg
*Guest speaker*
AIRwin
Doug_Westcott
Sprucegoose
Jacques Vert
Gem56
gwilli1
Bindibuys
Bindibuys +1
Drakecula
jxv
jxv +1
Bazzi
Bazzi +1
RG1
RG1 +1
Lynda2475
Townsend
Townsend +1
Hoatzin
JessicaTam
Susan Marks
Susan Marks +1
Hvr
Skyhawk
Skyhawk +1
Bundy Bear
BernadetteO
Straitman
SueOz
khyber
khyber +1
_flyer
_flyer +1
Major
mrsmajor
Matt_01
serfty
admin
Millie
Harvyk
Kookaburra75
Kookaburra75 +1
Princess Fiona
Uzerid
Uzerid +1
 
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I was a "cordie" 30+ years ago and have only been back to CBR on the odd occasion. Gold/Platinum.....ish, maybe for a trip down memory lane.
 
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Well since I'm going to be helping organise this, I guess I'm Platinum to attend :)

I no longer live in Canberra but still visit regularly. Looking forward to next year's gathering!
 
Gold for now. My old stomping ground also 40 odd years ago. Still remember my first sailing lesson & a certain bridge.
 
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I've just given my friend in Canberra more than a year's notice for me to crash with him at his house...
 
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This does not clash with with my other annual event, as mostly happens. Organisers, you’re slipping! :p
Way too early to call, but very interested.
 
At this stage I would say I am Bronze - December is a little too crazy usually.
 
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