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

**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.

 

[straitman]

The probability of getting there seems to decrease by the day.

Are you talking of yourself specifically or all of us?

 

[oz_mark]

Are you talking of yourself specifically or all of us?

Those of us under the rule of St Marko.

(Actually, getting there might be ok - it's getting back to the west that may present more of a challenge)

 

[Jacques Vert]

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)

Rydges have another Flash Sale ending on 3/9. Rydges Capitol Hill, Queen room from $101 per night, cancel up until 4PM on day of arrival:

Fully Flexible 72 Hour Flash Sale at Rydges, QT and Atura Hotels & Resorts​

For 72 hours only, save 30% off our best available rates at participating hotels right across Australia and New Zealand. Whether it’s a last minute getaway or a future escape you can book with confidence knowing you can cancel or change your plans until 4pm the same day of arrival. Plus, Priority Guest Reward Members receive a further 10% off rates and in-stay benefits including a welcome drink on arrival, discounted dining in our venues and complimentary late check out.​

 

[VPS]

Anyone have any opinion on Rydges vs Ovolo Nishi in Canberra?

 

[kookaburra75]

Anyone have any opinion on Rydges vs Ovolo Nishi in Canberra?

Rydges Capital HIll (formerly the Pavillion) is an old property which has been done up a bit. It's closer to the Kingston Hotel than Ovolo Nishi, which is in the city. The bar and restaurant options are ok. You would be best heading down to Realm/Osteri or Maple+Clove for breakfast or a drink.

MrsK and I stayed at Ovolo two weeks ago, and while the rooms are on the small side (being more modern) they are well set out, with lots of places to hang coats and packs in the bathroom. The meal and drink options are a lot better than Rydges.

The thing though, nowhere is really far in Canberra. If I had to pick, I'd go for Ovolo, although at $100 a night, Rydges would be a good deal.

 

[rainbowgirl]

I enjoyed The Mecure in Canberra last year, not far from the War Memorial. Their 2 story rooms were very comfy and they come with a little storage area under the stairs. Our family called it the Harry Potter room. Breakfast in the cafe was wonderful. Have no idea whether they are still allowed to serve a buffet breakfast with the current restrictions.

 

[Mattg]

Just an update - we're still really hopeful that this will be able to go ahead. I'm keeping a close eye on the state borders/health situation but fingers crossed that most/all of you will be able to come to Canberra in December! We currently have zero cases of you-know-what here.

To give you a rough idea, here's what we currently have planned for the weekend:

Friday evening - dinner at a yet-to-be-determined restaurant, most likely somewhere in Civic/Braddon/Acton.
Saturday morning - visit to Parliament House, and/or possibly a city tour including a visit to Mt Ainslie.
Saturday evening - casual dinner & drinks at Kingston Hotel.
Sunday - winery tour with lunch at a local winery. (For those thinking about booking flights, we should be finished by around 5pm on the Sunday and it's my intention that we'd be able to drop you off at the airport by around then.)

So far this is just a rough plan, but I'm hoping to finalise things in around a month once we have a better idea of the likely situation in December. Ideally I would have already locked this all in months ago, but the events of the past few months have made it difficult to plan so far in advance.

In the (hopefully) unlikely event that only people from some states/territories are permitted to travel to Canberra in December, we would probably still have a scaled-down version of the weekend for those lucky ones able to attend.

 

[kookaburra75]

There's also a range of serviced apartments in Canberra, which can be good value. There's the Adina Apartments in Kingston, about 100m away from the Kingston Pub, and near other restaurants, supermarkets etc

 

[Lynda2475]

Thanks for the update Matt. Im all booked in and provided ACT leaves NSW border open will be there for the full or scaled back version. But i have a 5:15pm Sunday flight so would be good if wine tour could get us back to CBR by 4pm (or i'll need to call an uber).

 

[Mattg]

Thanks for the update Matt. Im all booked in and provided ACT leaves NSW border open will be there for the full or scaled back version. But i have a 5:15pm Sunday flight so would be good if wine tour could get us back to CBR by 4pm (or i'll need to call an uber).

Will be able to confirm closer to the time, but you should be OK for your flight.

 

[Sprucegoose]

At this stage I would say I am Bronze - December is a little too crazy usually.

Well maybe not this year !!!

I am seriously thinking about this if Stalin Dan lets us out !

 

[straitman]

Well maybe not this year !!!

I am seriously thinking about this if Stalin Dan lets us out !

Just do it!

 

[RooFlyer]

Small drama today; Qantas changed/cancelled/changed 3 of my 4 flights HBA-xMEL-CBR-xMEL-HBA . Very nice lady in the HBA plat call centre got me going again, via SYD on the way up and I have to spend another lovely night in Canberra (Sunday) to get home again. Then hopefully not spending a couple of weeks in home iso after I get home. That would make Christmas shopping a bit fraught.

ps the e-mails I got for calling about the changes gave a 02 8222 xx_X number to call, which went through to a really bad line - I think diverted to someone working from home. Couldn't understand anything, so I called the Plat line and after a bit of a wait, got through. Its been so long since I flew QF they obviously D'tKWIA any more

 

[Lynda2475]

Qantas cancelled my SYD-CBR flight yesterday and rebooked me on a later flight means a plane change form a Boeing 717 to a De Havilland DHC-8 300 Series. Currently waiting on the phone to try and get it moved to an earlier flight on a 717, wait time is 41 mins grrrr.

** Edited - wait time was 1hr, flight moved earlier but now have received the e-ticket i notice the return flight is now a De Havilland oh well, maybe that will get changed too and i can get a later one, Took the opportunity to convert another flight credit to a Qantas Travel Pass with DSC needed to justify being on hold for so long.

 

[knagelli]

I am looking forward to attend this event provided Dan opens up the Victorian borders by then. Also just curious to understand , is there any quarantine period currently for travelling to Canberra as everyone other state seems to be tough on Victorians.

 

[Mattg]

Also just curious to understand , is there any quarantine period currently for travelling to Canberra as everyone other state seems to be tough on Victorians.

Currently, I don't think Victorian residents are allowed to enter the ACT without an exemption unfortunately. ACT residents are required to self-isolate if they return from Victoria. Hopefully things will improve and this will change by December.

 

[straitman]

Currently, I don't think Victorian residents are allowed to enter the ACT without an exemption unfortunately. ACT residents are required to self-isolate if they return from Victoria. Hopefully things will improve and this will change by December.

A lot of the rules are quite silly really.
In Gippsland there are no COVID cases but we cannot (yet) head to NSW or ACT for any reason but today I am in the Leper Colony (Melbourne) for a medical appointment and that’s acceptable.

 

[JessicaTam]

I am looking forward to attend this event provided Dan opens up the Victorian borders by then. Also just curious to understand , is there any quarantine period currently for travelling to Canberra as everyone other state seems to be tough on Victorians.

Just for accuracy, Victoria has not closed its borders to any state. It is the other way around.

 

[knagelli]

Just for accuracy, Victoria has not closed its borders to any state. It is the other way around.

Thanks @JessicaTam , I should have been clear.

Technically agree to your point however currently we are not allowed to travel out of Melbourne with 5km radius restriction unless it is exempted , so was trying to imply that.

 

[straitman]

There has been some discussion in the last few days about NSW and SA opening up to country Victoria.