Help the Founders Museum Save Australia's Aviation History

[kpc]

Separately, I'd like to advise of a LRE Do to be held next year. The Do will take in the museum, the jet tours, possibly some wing walks for those inclined and ultimately, a 3-course dinner in the museum with special guest speaker(s). It will also take in the Stockmans Hall of Fame, a brilliant museum dedicated to the outback, and with any luck, a trip on a paddleboat steamer up the Thomson River or a night under the stars. Things are still coming together, so you'll have to wait for more details, but it looks set to be an exciting weekend and at this stage, I'm just seeking ideas on how many would be interested.

I'm already booked to go to Lre in Oct 3-5 this year!:shock:...so I can report back on what it's currently like. Only problem with a LRE AFF DO I suspect is that there won't be enough award seats for all the AFFers intending to go!

 

[Bindibuys]

Interested x 2, but of course dependant on dates.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Great idea Sam

 

[JohnK]

Interested but would largely depend on dates as I have a very busy calendar.

 

[samh004]

I have encountered a setback with regards to a charter for the group... turns out they cost a fair bit more money than I thought ($50k+), which wouldn't be cost effective, even if we did manage to attract 74 AFFers.

That said, I think this event can still go ahead, but it might be a case of accepting the standard price, or hoping for a sale and getting in quick (though of course not everyone will be as lucky in that regard).

As I am off to the museum this weekend, I shall flesh some more details out and report back next week.

Tentatively looking at the end of April at this stage.

 

[JessicaTam]

I have encountered a setback with regards to a charter for the group... turns out they cost a fair bit more money than I thought ($50k+), which wouldn't be cost effective, even if we did manage to attract 74 AFFers.

That said, I think this event can still go ahead, but it might be a case of accepting the standard price, or hoping for a sale and getting in quick (though of course not everyone will be as lucky in that regard).

As I am off to the museum this weekend, I shall flesh some more details out and report back next week.

Tentatively looking at the end of April at this stage.

Hmmm, if I take a week of long service leave that will give me twelve days (with my rostered days off) to get from MEL to LRE and back. Certainly doable. Now what should I charge for the establishment of a LRE exec lounge to make it worthwhile?

Edit: and would there be anyone silly enough to come with me?

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Certainly very keen at this early stage.

I was booked to go to LRE & the Qantas Founders Museum late last year but had to cancel at the last minute.

I have booked another trip to go to LRE in a few months time....so really hoping I can get to the Qantas Founders Musuem finally for the very first time & take in by what appears to by all accounts an amazing museum dedicated to Qantas.

Certainly sounds like a great idea for a LRE event, albeit with the challenges of logistics, I admire you passion to get this event off the ground Sam,

 

[Mr_Orange]

Subscribing .

 

[BD1959]

Founders Museum has long been on the bucket list. Please count me as interested ... depending on dates.

Regards,

BD

 

[sjd]

This is a great idea and the museum is one of the best I have visited. I flew this route (BNE-LRE) regularly for work for two years, ending in 2013, and saw the opening of the new LRE terminal in that time. This included a luggage belt, as opposed to pick it up yourself from the back of the cart, and an outpost of a local cafe with an espresso machine. They even upped the flights to 8 a week, but looks like it is back down now to 7.

We had quite of lot of people flying this route at work and there was always an issue with availability. It might be better now that it is Q400's and not Q300's doing the flying, but worth factoring in. LRE actually services a huge part (although sparsely populated) of QLD and I rarely saw flights with spare seats.

Whatever expectations you have regarding accommodation, you should lower them... and then lower them again. It is the outback after all. I can recommend the Barcaldine Country Motor Inn, for those travelling up there by road or wanting to explore the area. Dave and Carolyn are wonderful hosts and cook a mean steak. Their villas are the best accommodation for a long, long, long way around.

 

[TomVexille]

Hmmm, if I take a week of long service leave that will give me twelve days (with my rostered days off) to get from MEL to LRE and back. Certainly doable. Now what should I charge for the establishment of a LRE exec lounge to make it worthwhile?

Edit: and would there be anyone silly enough to come with me?

Thinking of driving?

 

[samh004]

I'm going to start a thread soon for the event, but wanted to fill everyone in on the rough costs for the weekend and rough plans.

At this stage, I am unable to do anything special with flights. I might enquire with a TA about a group rate, but that wouldn't earn (AFAIK) and also probably wouldn't be much competition with a sale fare, which I'd encourage instead.

The motels in town range from $118 to $145 on wotif, but my pick is either of the caravan parks as heh contain 'cabins' complete with couches, kitchens, and some even have multiple rooms and beds enabling you to share costs. The Tourist Park also happens to be the cheapest at $98, while Kinnon & Co is $125. If JessicaTam brings her exec lounge with her, she'll be in one of these parks.

The rough plan so far is to fly up Friday and return Sunday. This will mean missing a day of work for anyone interstate as the Friday flight is EARLY. That said, the main focus for the weekend will be in Saturday, just incase you can't take a sickie.

At this stage, Friday daytime is a free time/explore town slot. I can add an extra activity here, a stage coach show put on by Kinnon & Co, but it depends on interest. On Friday night a bus will take us to the river to watch the sunset on Kinnon & Co's paddle steamer where there will be nibbles, before dinner around a camp fire, bush poetry and damper. The evening concludes at 9pm and will cost just shy of $100.

Saturday brings us to our star event, checking out the Qantas Founders Outback Museum. Tickets are $18 + I'll build in a $10-20 donation pp. An option beyond the museum is to do a jet tour at $40 pp and a wing walk at $65 pp.

Following a freshen up at the exec lounge we'll be having dinner inside the museum with a 3 course menu costing between $35-58 pp (only cheapest menu is alternate drop, absolutely no buffets).

I hope to also attract a guest speaker or two but it's a bit early to name anyone.

On Sunday, our last day, we'll head to the Stockmans Hall of Fame, entry $27, and learn about the outback. The flight home is usually most-afternoon.

As mentioned previously, I'm looking at the last weekend in April, so it shouldn't be too hot or cold.

 

[ALH]

Very interested

 

[jojen]

Flights out of NTL or SYD are not looking good at this stage for us. Hope they come up with a sale soon !!

When we were at the museum in 2012 we chose the platinum package which gave us very good value, especially at the senior rate.
Included admission wing walk and very good tour of 747, lunch voucher and photo .

We stayed at the Albert Park Motor Inn and were able to walk from the terminal, along a walkway, cross the road and at the motel. There was a large caravan park behind it. An easy walk into town, although when we checked in the girl on the desk was about to finish work for the day and offered to take us in !!! Very good service at the motel but certainly not 5 star.

Hope to make it to this event , but need a sale to make it work for us.

jojen

 

[samh004]

Flights out of NTL or SYD are not looking good at this stage for us. Hope they come up with a sale soon !!

When we were at the museum in 2012 we chose the platinum package which gave us very good value, especially at the senior rate.
Included admission wing walk and very good tour of 747, lunch voucher and photo .

We stayed at the Albert Park Motor Inn and were able to walk from the terminal, along a walkway, cross the road and at the motel. There was a large caravan park behind it. An easy walk into town, although when we checked in the girl on the desk was about to finish work for the day and offered to take us in !!! Very good service at the motel but certainly not 5 star.

Hope to make it to this event , but need a sale to make it work for us.

jojen

I should think just about everyone will need a sale. Flights aren't priced well out here and there's a steady stream of local traffic on the route.

Since your visit the new airport terminal would have opened, making the walk to the museum/hotels slightly longer. Hoping we can organise transfers.

Also, the Platinum package has changed. I'm not sure if there's been an associated increase in price too, but you now get a 707-wing walk included. However, platinum tours are capped at 5 pax, so it would be hard to organise for everyone to do that. If there's interest though... I'm sure the museum would be happy to provide a rate.

 

[gwilli1]

Subscribing .

 

[phily]

As mentioned previously, I'm looking at the last weekend in April, so it shouldn't be too hot or cold.

My hand is up for such an event.

 

[JessicaTam]

Thinking of driving?

Yes. It is 2,000 km each way from MEL, so three days of driving without pushing too hard. I would probably tent it on the way up, and stay in a cabin in LRE. That way I could manage to bring the exec lounge.

 

[MrHyde]

I'd love to come as well - but at nearly $1100 for a return flight from MEL, using 42000 points (+$157 taxes) might be the way to go.

 

[samh004]

I'd love to come as well - but at nearly $1100 for a return flight from MEL, using 42000 points (+$157 taxes) might be the way to go.

When a sale comes along the price can be a little more attractive. For example, standard fare is ~$185 one way BNE-LRE, but can be had for ~$109 in sale. Couple that with golden triangle sales and it becomes a bit more bearable.