The LRE Outback Do [29 APR - 1 MAY 2016]

[Doug_Westcott]

I'm platinum.

Flights BNE-LRE-BNE booked (see below) and will arrange flights from/to MEL and accommodation (including probably an extra night in BNE on 28 APR) nearer the time.

29 APR - 7.55 QF2534 BNE - LRE
01 MAY - 16.10 QF2535 LRE - BNE

 

[samh004]

With 11 confirmed attendees, 11 months out, I think we're doing pretty well so far.

 

[wooley]

With 11 confirmed attendees, 11 months out, I think we're doing pretty well so far.

Put me down as gold.

I'll be in EMD that week so will just drive across.

 

[JessicaTam]

Put me down as gold.

I'll be in EMD that week so will just drive across.

A choice of exec lounges! Awesome.

 

[wooley]

A choice of exec lounges! Awesome.

I'll be rolling around in a high vis, safety first exec lounge haha

 

[RooFlyer]

Very difficult to plan 2 months ahead, let alone a year, but I'm interested at a Silver level ATM; its been many years since I did some touring in my own country and have wanted to go to the Dinosaurs thing at Winton.

Jessica Tam - what is the possible JT003/004 you mentioned?

 

[JessicaTam]

Very difficult to plan 2 months ahead, let alone a year, but I'm interested at a Silver level ATM; its been many years since I did some touring in my own country and have wanted to go to the Dinosaurs thing at Winton.

Jessica Tam - what is the possible JT003/004 you mentioned?

That would be a three day 'flight' in my Pajero each way MEL-LRE

 

[ALH]

Booked accommodation and flights for 3:

28.4.16 QF2534
2.5.16 QF2531

Can guest 3 more into Lounges

 

[ALH]

The LRE Mega Do [29 APR - 1 MAY 2016]

Oh. I guess that makes us Platinum

 

[JessicaTam]

Booked accommodation and flights for 3:

28.4.16 QF2534
2.5.16 QF2531

Can guest 3 more into Lounges

Hmmm, I am going to have to determine the eligibility criteria for the potential LRE lounge! Don't want just anyone wandering in.

 

[samh004]

Numbers looking good thus far

I better get on and book my flights soon!

 

[MrHyde]

Where did you book accommodation? I tried at a couple of places online and they don't show any dates more than 3 months out.

Booked accommodation and flights for 3:

28.4.16 QF2534
2.5.16 QF2531

Can guest 3 more into Lounges

 

[RooFlyer]

Hmmm, I am going to have to determine the eligibility criteria for the potential LRE lounge! Don't want just anyone wandering in.

I'm sure with a nested First Lounge, Business Lounge and an outer Longreach Club Lounge you could cater for all tastes and wants and keep the riff raff out. :-|

 

[ALH]

The LRE Mega Do [29 APR - 1 MAY 2016]

Where did you book accommodation? I tried at a couple of places online and they don't show any dates more than 3 months out.

I used booking.com
Can cancel right up to the day before arrival without penalties/charges

 

[ALH]

Sam. My dates are wrong. I've booked BNE/LRE 29.4.16 not 28.4.16 if you want to fix my post

There goes my planned trip to Winton unless you can arrange something !

 

[samh004]

Sam. My dates are wrong. I've booked BNE/LRE 29.4.16 not 28.4.16 if you want to fix my post

There goes my planned trip to Winton unless you can arrange something !

I haven't started logging flights yet, but that would seem to curtail an extra trip to Winton.

Received a reply today from QF regarding group rates and it was ridiculous!

 

[Mr_Orange]

Re: Travel Options

Queensland Rail rolls between Brisbane and Longreach on Tuesday (arriving Wednesday) and Saturday (arriving Sunday). The return departs Longreach on Monday (arriving Tuesday) and Thursday (arriving Friday). These services take about 25 hours. However, they do cost ~$141.

OMG! Seriously..... 25 hours...... do you have to push the train to get there? That's an average speed of 48kph. What a joke! Does QR know that you can get trains that go 300kph? In some parts of the world they go even faster than that. Heaven forbid!!

Sorry, samh004, not aimed at you, just venting my disgust with train travel in this country.

 

[samh004]

Re: Travel Options

Sorry, samh004, not aimed at you, just venting my disgust with train travel in this country.

I understand that.

Qantas Group Travel quoted $730.40 per roundtrip in a group of 40 odd people... clearly they weren't willing to come to the table with an acceptable price. It's a laughable total, considering a return Flex booking on those dates would come out at less ($710). Perhaps it has something to do with being a government subsidised route, but they haven't communicated that.

At this stage I'd continue to recommend points bookings if they're available, failing that a red-e-deal and then we'll see where the price goes when the cheap seats have been sold. Perhaps they'll release more in a sale in the future.

 

[samh004]

Re: Attendees

As I'm sure many have read this morning, fire has ripped through the popular Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton last night. The town has vowed to rebuild, but it looks like a lot of history has been lost. This shouldn't affect the LRE Do, but if any members were planning to also include a side trip to Winton, at least one attraction will likely be unavailable now.

Fire rips through Waltzing Matilda Centre at Winton in western Queensland - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[Meggsy]

Re: Attendees

As I'm sure many have read this morning, fire has ripped through the popular Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton last night. The town has vowed to rebuild, but it looks like a lot of history has been lost. This shouldn't affect the LRE Do, but if any members were planning to also include a side trip to Winton, at least one attraction will likely be unavailable now.

Fire rips through Waltzing Matilda Centre at Winton in western Queensland - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Quite sad really the volume of history that has been lost in the fire.