AFF Gathering #16 in LST on 13 – 15 October 2023

Launceston has been chosen as the AFF Annual Gathering destination for 2023, occurring over the weekend of the 13 to 15 October. The average temperature range for October is 7ºC – 18.2ºC (November is 9.1ºC to 20.5ºC). The average rainfall is 48mm with 7.5 rainy days. It is Tasmania's second most populous city following Hobart – which held AFF#7 in 2013 – and Australia's 21st most populous overall.

In addition to the usual dinners, planned activities (all subject to confirmation) for Saturday include a visit to the Table Cape tulip farm in full bloom, Ashgrove cheese and/or Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm and/or Anvers chocolate, and a separate wine excursion along the Tamar River, perhaps including the Beaconsfield Mine (disaster) museum. On Sunday, a visit to Cataract Gorge and/or a cruise on the Tamar and if possible, a visit to the National Automobile Museum and the Boags brewery.

Costs are expected to be inline with past AFF Meet-ups, subject to fuel price increases!

However, the organisers have noted that wineries in the area who will take groups of more than 10 are limited. An alternative to the usual style of AFF-organised bus may be an externally-organised paid tour, but this would be more expensive - perhaps $170 including transport, lunch and tastings but this could take a bigger group. Those who may consider themselves 'Platinum' or 'Gold' may wish to express their willingness to pay for the second option if the usual style tour is not possible, to assist with planning.

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Please make it known what activities you would be interested in (generally) when indicating attendance, so the organisers can gauge numbers before announcing final plans and itineraries. For example:

• interested/not interested in alcohol-based activities (vineyard/distillery/brewery),
• interested/not interested in food based activities (cheese/chocolate/fruit),
• interested/not interested in general activities (museums/flowers/cruise)., etc.

The usual schedule includes two dinners, a Friday welcome dinner that is more casual and a Saturday "guest speaker" dinner that could be considered more formal. While people generally mingle at both, you may find the space chosen on Saturday makes it harder to do so, but is regarded as the main event as well.

The lead organisers this year are @RooFlyer & @Steady , however they encourage all members local to Launceston (or surrounding areas) to raise their hands on helping coordinate the weekend.

The AFF Leadership Team can provide support in terms of money collection and distribution, and editing this thread as needed. If something needs to be updated, please simply report the post with the update so anyone on the team can action it (starting a conversation only alerts one person).

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Links:

Tulips: VDQ Bulbs | Van Diemen Quality Bulbs
Ashgrove: Ashgrove Cheese, Tasmania, Australia
Christmas Hills: Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm Cafe
House of Anvers: https://www.anvers-chocolate.com.au/
Beaconsfield: Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre
National Automobile Museum: N.A.M.T.

 

[RooFlyer]

Very generous, let me be the first to say thanks

Methinks you missed the second bit

 

[Fifa]

Please count two of us in for the new Friday evening dinner venue.

 

[Major]

Friday night plan B suits us as well

 

[Netty]

Happy with the new plan for us. Thanks for coordinating it all.

 

[Jacques Vert]

I don't like businesses that offer a specific deal and then change the rules/details once they have you "signed up". So Gem56 and I are happy to go with Plan B.

And thanks for all the hard work organising everything.

 

[AIRwin]

Exciting upgrade in time for the AFF gathering:

 

[pauly7]

For those going, enjoy!

Bread and Butter is nice, have been many times, but if you want a wider menu more brunch/lunch style cafe here is another venue for you to consider, just around corner from Bread and Butters Elizabeth St location.

And I think you can book.

Specialty Coffee & All-Day Brunch | Tinka Coffee Brewers

Specialty Coffee, Brunch & Treats in a friendly city environment. Retail Coffee Beans, Brew Gear & much more.

www.tinkacoffeebrewers.com.au

 

[RooFlyer]

Exciting upgrade in time for the AFF gathering:

Thanks for the heads-up. Maybe our Dinner speaker can arrange for a 'fast track'

 

[RooFlyer]

Referendum writs have now been issued. Attendees at Launceston on 14 October can vote early at home:

Referendum 2023

Or lodge a postal vote but you have to apply:

Postal voting – frequently asked questions

www.aec.gov.au

 

[kileskus]

Submitted form and paid rego fee

Username: kileskus
Arrival date/time: Saturday 1110
Flight #: VA 1544
Accommodation: Mercure
Wine tour: no
Tulip tour: no
Departure date/time: Sunday 2015
Flight #: VA 1509

Thanks for heads up re voting

 

[straitman]

I just noticed that Sprucegoose doesn’t get a mention in post #3. (Unless I am blind)
He’s all paid up for the wine tour etc

 

[CaptJCool]

Hey @RooFlyer

Registered and paid for the Wine tour (although happy to take a spot on the Tulip tour if there’s a late cancellation no refund required)

Cheers
Capt

 

[RooFlyer]

I just noticed that Sprucegoose doesn’t get a mention in post #3. (Unless I am blind)
He’s all paid up for the wine tour etc

Updated, thanks to @serfty .

Welcome aboard, Captain!

 

[drron]

Count me out please - no vego options. Will probably look around the area for something vego.

@Ade thats sad as Mud Bar used to have a vego menu and I enjoyed it on one occasion. however I stopped going there as the management was quite frankly up themselves.
And Ade both the Spice Bar at Seaport and Pickled Evenings in George street just outside the CBD are both very good Punjabi restaurants. Spice bar calls itself the best Punjabi restaurant in Launceston whilst Pickled Evenings says it is the best Punjabi restaurant in Tasmania.
I preferred Pickled evenings. Their Goan vegetables were great and nice and spicy but loved their mushroom and spinach dish.

Pickled Evenings

 

[Ade]

@Ade thats sad as Mud Bar used to have a vego menu and I enjoyed it on one occasion. however I stopped going there as the management was quite frankly up themselves.
And Ade both the Spice Bar at Seaport and Pickled Evenings in George street just outside the CBD are both very good Punjabi restaurants. Spice bar calls itself the best Punjabi restaurant in Launceston whilst Pickled Evenings says it is the best Punjabi restaurant in Tasmania.
I preferred Pickled evenings. Their Goan vegetables were great and nice and spicy but loved their mushroom and spinach dish.

Pickled Evenings

Thank you @drron for the information. I now know where I'd be for meals on Sunday & Monday. I staying back a day and leaving Monday evening. So looking forward to try your recommendations

 

[Matt_01]

I've just given my credit card . No-one get any ideas!

I am with @Steady thanks. I read the second part of you post but chose to ignore it

 

[RooFlyer]

With CaptJCool, plus tinkybelle and +1 (who has communicated to me privately as they can't access the rego form), we are at capacity for dinner on Saturday night. Any further will have to go on waitlist if we can't get the venue to add more.

 

[RooFlyer]

Venue for dinner has agreed to add 3, so @tinkybelle , @oz_mark please register & pay as soon as you are able, @meMEme I’ve seen your registration, and you are Ok too .

But that’s it for dinner, folks, sorry.

As I’m skipping the country on Monday, any further PM enquiries to @Steady please. Don’t worry, for some reason, @JessicaTam wouldn’t let me anywhere near the bank account

 

[straitman]

As I’m skipping the country on Monday, any further PM enquiries to @Steady please. Don’t worry, for some reason, @JessicaTam wouldn’t let me anywhere near the bank account

I always thought she was a smart girl!

 

[WilsonM]

Hi guys, sorry to be an absolute pain, but is it okay to swap @CaptJCool with my spot on the Tulip tour, and I go onto the wine tour? I'll get him the extra cash so it all evens out.

Cheers