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 on Saturday and a main dinner on Saturday evening. There may also be an optional activity on Sunday in the late morning.

All AFF members (and +1's, etc.) are welcome to attend. Most people usually fly in on Friday afternoon and leave on the Sunday afternoon/evening.

Your lead organisers for this year's event are @NM and @QF WP. Other Brisbane-based members are also welcome to volunteer to assist.

We'll update this thread over the coming months with more information about the planned activities, dinner venues and costs, which we expect to be similar to past gatherings. There will be a $5 registration fee per participant, plus the cost of any activities and/or meals that you choose to join.

For now, please feel free to let us know in this thread if you think you'll be able to make it! For those unfamiliar with the AFF terminology:

• "Platinum" means you're planning to attend and have booked flights/accommodation
• "Gold" means you're likely to attend but will need to confirm at a later time
• "Silver" means you're unlikely to attend at this stage.
• "Bronze" means you're unable to attend.

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).

We're looking forward to seeing you all in Brissie!

 

[AIRwin]

Almost sounds PERfect.

 

[drron]

With such nice weather in Qld, why would anyone want to be anywhere but here?

But in just over 2 months from August to October there are 5 family birthdays. As 4 of them live in Sydney that's were we go. And this weekend is so we can also attend our grandson's cadet parade.
Besides you'll all will be spending a lot of the time on the Sunshine Coast anyway.

 

[NM]

The NM printer and guillotine have been working overtime for the last few nights completing the final preparations. Delivery drivers have been regular visitors to our residence. Now to work out if we need to use the NM Bus to transport everything to the venues or if we can squeeze it into the less voluminous vehicular transportation commodity.

The excitement is growing as the weekend approaches.

Two more sleeps to go (unless I take a Pop-nap tomorrow afternoon).

10 more work meetings to endure.

Two more morning coffees to maintain my aging body.

 

[kookaburra75]

As posted earlier, MrsK and I are apologies for this magnificent event - we had already booked that weekend for a joint birthday bash in Melbourne, as it falls between our birthdays which are only nine days apart.

And before you ask, as much as we've have enjoyed the company of those of you who we've met, the decision as to whether to spend a quiet romantic weekend in Melbourne, or share it with you all in Brisbane, was not that hard to make

Please post lots of photos so we can experience it from a distance.

 

[AIRwin]

1 week to go!

1 day to go!

 

[bPeteb]

As posted earlier, MrsK and I are apologies for this magnificent event - we had already booked that weekend for a joint birthday bash in Melbourne, as it falls between our birthdays which are only nine days apart.

And before you ask, as much as we've have enjoyed the company of those of you who we've met, the decision as to whether to spend a quiet romantic weekend in Melbourne, or share it with you all in Brisbane, was not that hard to make

Please post lots of photos so we can experience it from a distance.

whatevs

Say hi to M from us both

 

[CaptJCool]

Just a quick update on Go cards
My old one has not been used for 5.5 years so with $2.95 left on it I might get 1 or 2 rides on it. And the govt received the rest as my donation. Sighs

A new card is $10 and minimum credit is $5
All rides whether 1 stop or 25 are 50 cents no transfers permitted

Airtrain from the airport is half price

Half-price fares with Airtrain | Brisbane Airtrain

Travel to the airport for $11.45 from your local station, or $10.95 from city stations. Now available. Book Now Brisbane’s Airtrain 500+ reviews Customers are saying they “Should have used it years ago!” Queensland Government flat rate fares initiative The Queensland Government is rolling out an...

www.airtrain.com.au

 

[AIRwin]

All rides whether 1 stop or 25 are 50 cents no transfers permitted

I think there is no separate charge for transfers within a certain timeframe

 

[serfty]

Just a quick update on Go cards
My old one has not been used for 5.5 years so with $2.95 left on it I might get 1 or 2 rides on it. And the govt received the rest as my donation. Sighs

A new card is $10 and minimum credit is $5
All rides whether 1 stop or 25 are 50 cents no transfers permitted

Airtrain from the airport is half price

Half-price fares with Airtrain | Brisbane Airtrain

Travel to the airport for $11.45 from your local station, or $10.95 from city stations. Now available. Book Now Brisbane’s Airtrain 500+ reviews Customers are saying they “Should have used it years ago!” Queensland Government flat rate fares initiative The Queensland Government is rolling out an...

www.airtrain.com.au

I note the airtrain is the same price if using a Go card ($10.95) one way, but you get $1 off if you prepurchase a return ($20.90) - this cannot be obtained with a Go card.

Fare Calculator | Brisbane Airtrain

Brisbane’s Airtrain 500+ reviews Customers are saying they “Should have used it years ago!”

www.airtrain.com.au

 

[bPeteb]

I think there is no separate charge for transfers within a certain timeframe

90 minutes I think

 

[CaptJCool]

90 minutes I think

Transferring between services
Depends on the ticket type used for the journey

What is the difference between a journey and a trip?

translink.com.au

 

[jumpjam]

Just a quick update on Go cards
My old one has not been used for 5.5 years so with $2.95 left on it I might get 1 or 2 rides on it. And the govt received the rest as my donation. Sighs

A new card is $10 and minimum credit is $5
All rides whether 1 stop or 25 are 50 cents no transfers permitted

Airtrain from the airport is half price

Half-price fares with Airtrain | Brisbane Airtrain

Travel to the airport for $11.45 from your local station, or $10.95 from city stations. Now available. Book Now Brisbane’s Airtrain 500+ reviews Customers are saying they “Should have used it years ago!” Queensland Government flat rate fares initiative The Queensland Government is rolling out an...

www.airtrain.com.au

Seniors card should be Nil for card and $5 minimum load

 

[CaptJCool]

Seniors card should be Nil for card and $5 minimum load

Clearly I looked too young to be asked if I had a Seniors card
Sighs

That said only 1/3 are going onto age pension so 2/3 are taking lots of the “free ride” including me

 

[boxo]

I am sitting at home in California just having tracked my FJ SFO NAN flight on Flightaware. I would be on a Nadi day tour right now and boarding the BNE flight this evening. Sigh.

Wishing you all a fun and safe weekend. Yes, please, post lots of photos.

And FYI, I am signed up as Platinum for the Adelaide Flyertalk DO in May. I'll see some of you there.

 

[NM]

Note that a Go Card is not required for SEQ train journeys. Just Touch any credit card on the gate machines or pillar/post mounted touch pads at the starting station and ending station and you will be charged the transaction ($0.50 for regular train or higher for air train). From my experience a few weeks back, the transactions show as a single charge per day, so my return journey (morning and afternoon) came through as a single $1 transaction on my credit card. Very quick and simple and no need for a Go Card.

I don't think all buses yet have the credit card function so go card may still be required for some buses, but certainly all train stations in SEQ have the credit card touch pads.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I don't think all buses yet have the credit card function so go card may still be required for some buses

Correct, buses need a Go Card.

 

[serfty]

Clearly I looked too young to be asked if I had a Seniors card
Sighs

That said only 1/3 are going onto age pension so 2/3 are taking lots of the “free ride” including me

In QLD you can get a Seniors card at the very least if 65 years or older and working less than 35 hours a week in paid employment.

I have a Seniors Go card by dint of my Victorian Seniors. I ordered it inline pre covid and it cost nothing.

 

[jumpjam]

Seniors go card cost $20 at airport so got one in Central station. $5 for card plus $5 load. Thought it was free based on their website but still a good deal. Catching bus this arvo.

 

[somebol]

heads up to members staying in The Sebel. The hotel currently has air con issues and no eta for a fix.
my room has been quite warm despite curtains closed and air con running at lowest setting.

 

[CaptJCool]

heads up to members staying in The Sebel. The hotel currently has air con issues and no eta for a fix.
my room has been quite warm despite curtains closed and air con running at lowest setting.

Well you could hop on a train to Ipswich for the air cond and get short terminated at Redbanks. Seems there was an obstruction somewhere down the track ,….