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!

 

[RooFlyer]

I took these before the end of the evening, but it gives an idea of the objectives for the coming year. I have bookings for about eight of them.

 

[Matt_01]

@Matt_01 and @DejaBrew - I got myself moved to an earlier BNE-SYD. I’m now in QF541, boarding 1445h.

Given we were in the same place at lunch did you mean @Matt_01 and @boomy, I did catch up with @DejaBrew and a few others in the lounge but missed you.

 

[Matt_01]

@QF WP and @NM thank you for efforts as it was a great event. The next part of the post maybe read by some as not appropriate however a big heads up for arranging an interpreter so everyone was included.

 

[serfty]

... The next part of the post maybe read by some as not appropriate however a big heads up for arranging an interpreter so everyone was included.

One of the attendees was eligible such that the NDIS provide an accompanying Auslan interpreter wherever they go.

 

[QF WP]

To those of you who needed some “encouragement” to leave the Woodcroft Room last night, imagine how much fun you might have had if you’d been allowed to stay…

View attachment 412749

I went back this morning as I wasn't sure where I'd left my glasses. The session was in full swing. They'd been there Saturday morning as well.

 

[QF WP]

Surely I can’t be the only one who thought it:

View attachment 412761View attachment 412762

No, I thought it was more like a cross between Gill



and the Anglerfish:



apart from the colour of course -definitely Nemo's colours

 

[QF WP]

Experience A lunch - We had fun getting lunch. Subway hadn’t prepared the 4 platters (pre-ordered Friday night) when we arrived on time (12:20pm) so we had to wait 30 mins. So did most of the others behind us:



Thanks to my helpers @RooFlyer and @serfty who volunteered to come to assist:



Set up for the hungry hordes:

 

[QF WP]

Then onto Ocean View Estates for the wine flights:

All economy class seating, but with a stunning view



Mine were all red



Snapped a couple of the new vineyard as I chatted with Mick the bus driver:



and the wedding venue

 

[serfty]

Experience A lunch - We had fun getting lunch. Subway hadn’t prepared the 4 platters (pre-ordered Friday night) when we arrived on time (12:20pm) so we had to wait 30 mins. So did most of the others behind us:
...
Thanks to my helpers @RooFlyer and @serfty who volunteered to come to assist:

View attachment 412776

...

I was concentrating heavily thinking how much the Subway would splatter should I miss a step off the bus ...

 

[QF WP]

Finally had to check on the room before going to our hotel:



and one of the hostesses:

 

[QF WP]

This morning Mrs QF WP and I went back to the Pancake Manor for breakfast (as I’d left my reading glasses there at the Organising Moderators late night debrief):

 

[RooFlyer]

and the wedding venue

One group seem to have been lost

 

[QF WP]

No, the groom was lost until he got married - then he’s bloody well finished (so says my fathers pewter tankard given to him in 1963 by his groomsmen).

I think both of our groups had a great time at Ocean View Estates (and our drivers received some of the benefits!)

 

[DejaBrew]

Subway hadn’t prepared the 4 platters (pre-ordered Friday night) when we arrived on time (12:20pm) so we had to wait 30 mins. So did most of the others behind us:

Old mate in the blue Adidas shirt looked pretty filthy with the situation…

 

[QF WP]

Yes, he was from the local Surf Lifesaving Club. Should have ordered like us...