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.

---

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).

---

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.

 

[QF WP]

Going to contact them tomorrow when I have all the wines together and try to sort it out.

 

[PrezRegan]

Normally they don't ask you to return it if it's a mistake on their end so, more free wine!

Going to contact them tomorrow when I have all the wines together and try to sort it out.

 

[boxo]

Excuse me for bumping this thread, but weeks of restraint have crumbled and the clock is ticking - I need to ask if there are any clues as to when and where this year's gathering will happen.

I hadn't planned on going back down again this year, but before I got home from last year's DO, Air NZ sent a very happy email that expired credits had been revived. Then came the Alaska announcement that the award chart will change in March 2024. US to AU/NZ in J will change from 55k to 85k. No J availability at the moment, but I made an outbound res in Y as a placeholder.

 

[CaptJCool]

Yes hopefully a place will be determined soon enough

Wherever in Austria it might be
You can guarantee arrival in Sydney or Melbourne would be the most likely springboard to the event location

 

[boxo]

Yes hopefully a place will be determined soon enough

Wherever in Austria it might be
You can guarantee arrival in Sydney or Melbourne would be the most likely springboard to the event location

SYD/MEL to Austria would require a gigantic springboard.

My booked outbound is to AKL** with hopes WLG eventually becomes available, so I need to look at my flight options home, thinking ex-BNE because I've never been there.

Edit to add**: to AKL with a 3-night stopover in NAN, my first time to Fiji with 2020 plans being scrapped

 

[serfty]

Maybe look at AA to/from New Zealand - then puddle jump to OZ.

 

[Major]

MrsMajor was the winner of this lucky door prize.
We had this with a pasta dish and it didn't disappoint.
Light in colour and I thought of cherries after the first mouthful. The perfect wine for this dish.
Thanks again for an enjoyable few days.

 

[QPProletarian]

Bronze - probably with +1

• interested in alcohol-based activities (vineyard/distillery/brewery),

 

[Jacques Vert]

Bronze - probably with +1

• interested in alcohol-based activities (vineyard/distillery/brewery),

I'm afraid you're almost a year too late.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I'm afraid you're almost a year too late.

Or ten years early !

 

[Jacques Vert]

Bronze - probably with +1

• interested in alcohol-based activities (vineyard/distillery/brewery),

Of course there is always this year's event:

AFF Gathering #17 in BNE on 18 - 20 October 2024

We're pleased to announce that the 2024 AFF annual gathering will be held in Brisbane, the sunny capital of Queensland! The weekend of Friday 18 - Sunday 20 October 2024 has been chosen for the event. As per past years, there will be a welcome dinner on the Friday evening, optional activities...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au