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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Are you in PER permanently? Your signature says poxville MEL.

Physically, I am in Perth. I was in the process of moving from MEL to PER, which should have been done by now. But 2020 hasn't quite gone to plan.

So, I am sort of stranded, as a 'stateless' person somewhere between the two :)
 
Well, since JohnM's taxi is out of commission, I've just booked flights, so I'm Plat*

* Terms & Conditions apply (like COVID restrictions ..) Plus its cancellable, in case JohnM happens to drop by after all.
 
I've been thinking the same thing. Perhaps we'll just have to assemble the troops in Perth, and be there is spirit. . . .

I'd like to consider myself a Bronze... but like others, I dunno if any of us Sandgropers will be allowed back in if we leave.
We might need to have a satellite PER wine&dine after all... AFF 14.1
 
For those looking for somewhere cheaper to stay, Rydges have a Flash Sale at present (ends tonight).

Queen room, fully flexible @ $101 per night. No frills: breakfast, parking, etc., extra. (Rydges Capitol Hill)

Thanks @Jacques Vert, I've just booked this for the Saturday night. I got a rate of $106 for the night, but that's still good value. This hotel is within walking distance of the Kingston Hotel, where the Saturday night dinner will be held.
 
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Thanks @Jacques Vert, I've just booked this for the Saturday night. I got a rate of $106 for the night, but that's still good value. This hotel is within walking distance of the Kingston Hotel, where the Saturday night dinner will be held.
Did you join their loyalty program? Members get a lower price and it's free to join. That may be the difference. You could always rebook at the lower price and cancel the expensive room;)
 
I dont drink, & will have our car, so can transport from Ovolo to/from dinner on Saturday night.
 
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Is that the Kingston Hotel where a bloke was killed in a fight a couple of weeks ago ?
 
Did you join their loyalty program? Members get a lower price and it's free to join. That may be the difference. You could always rebook at the lower price and cancel the expensive room;)

I did join. It would have been $118 without the member discount. ;)

Is that the Kingston Hotel where a bloke was killed in a fight a couple of weeks ago ?

Yes. However, that is definitely not a regular occurrence and I believe it was well managed by the staff there. It's a popular hotel that's often frequented by politicians.
 
I've also booked the Rydges for Friday and Saturday @106pn. But being from PER, I'm not sure if that upgrades me to Plat or if I'm still Bronze... Gold maybe?
 
I did join. It would have been $118 without the member discount. ;)
Hmmm; Still showing $101 when I look.

I may have worked it out: my online account is still showing my status as Black, even though I haven't requalified to that level for at least 3 years. (As you know, Black members get an extra 5% discount.)
 
Hmmm; Still showing $101 when I look.

I may have worked it out: my online account is still showing my status as Black, even though I haven't requalified to that level for at least 3 years. (As you know, Black members get an extra 5% discount.)

That would do it!

I don't have any PRG status as I just joined this morning! ;)
 
Whoops...was going to give away 2 x $50 Qantas Hotel vouchers until I read the fine print..."The voucher must be used to make a booking before 30/06/2020 otherwise it will be forfeited." I will need serious AFF re-education once this is all over :confused: Current Status of Platinum down to COVID :eek: Oh well, back to learning all about Motorhomes...
 
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