Oz Fest

Postponed as Post 109

Oz Fest 17 BNE 2021
Oz Fest 17 2021 will be held in Brisbane from Friday 28th May to Sunday 30th May 2021 (US Memorial day weekend).
The new thread for Oz Fest 17 BNE 2021 will be posted towards the end of July September October November 2020. In part due the QF announcement of 25 June 2020 that it is not expecting international flights until mid 2021, other than possibly AU-NZ..

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After discussions at the Oz Fest 16 main dinner Brisbane, Queensland has been chosen for Oz Fest 17. Oz Fest 03 (2006) was held in Brisbane, after the first 2 Oz Fest’s were held in Sydney. We repeat the tradition. 28 people attended Oz Fest 03, but we expect more this time. The location of Brisbane will allow easy international & Australian domestic access for many people.

The May USA Memorial Day weekend seems very popular with USA based Flyer-talkers, and that is the weekend that was most favoured by far. Again chosen that weekend - as we have for all other 16 Oz Fests. Around half the attendees are USA based at each Oz Fest. That public holiday in the USA is Monday May 25, 2020. Remember if you leave Australia on afternoon of Monday May 25, you arrive back in the USA also early morning on Monday May 25. A lot of time, no matter where you live in the USA, to get back home, unpack, have an early night, and get organised for a day at work next day etc.

There have been 16 successful Oz Fests so far - in Sydney, (2004, 2005 & 2019) Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart Tasmania, Cairns, Adelaide, Darwin 2011, Canberra, Perth, Alice Springs-Ayers Rock/Uluru in 2014, New Zealand 2015, the Gold Coast QLD 2016, Newcastle 2017 & Noosa QLD 2018.

The weather for the past 16 Oz Fests has been in general, superb and sunny. Despite June 1st, being our official Winter start date. Even in Tasmania our most southern city, we were truly blessed with unusually nice weather. We all thought Canberra and Hobart would be a weather challenge for sure, but the Saturday and Sunday gave quite perfect weather.

Unusually for Oz Fest we have already have an organising team. Often someone only volunteers January or February. Often they volunteer military style. ozflygirl747 has again volunteered to be CEO (Chief Entertainment Officer) after being CEO for DRW, ASP & OOL. storyteller will look after food & beverage and QF WP the tours. Having 3 locals organising will make Oz Fest 17 one of the best.

A common FT access account for the ad-hoc organising committee titled “Oz Fest (Oz Fest Organisers)” was approved by the Flyertalk Community Director, and the early informational posts here in this thread will show as that account, so they can be edited at will by those involved.

Our ad-hoc Committee will be tracking attendees, and hotels, and flights, and activity sign ups etc in these early posts. These are incredibly time consuming to keep updated, and all attendees owe them a huge vote of thanks. Hopefully we can once again call on the falconea’s to be name tag/table tag supremos, and we are well on our way!
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Oz Fest

Attendees

Oz Fest 17 takes place in Brisbane. QLD Australia on USA Memorial Day weekend from Friday evening 22nd May to Sunday 24th May 2020

Please PM Oz Fest any error's & omissions or email:- ozfest at mail.com (NOT gmail)

Platinum - Confirmed (in order of confirming will attend including PM & emails)

1. ozflygirl747 BNE
2. storyteller BNE
3. QF WP BNE
4. Mrs QF WP BNE
5. Itsalongwaydown SXE
6. Sue Oz SXE
7. falconea MEL
8. Mr falconea MEL
9. cocobird SFO
10. doug_wescott MEL
11. JohnSydney2000 SYD
12. Fredd SEA
13. Mrs Fredd SEA
14. Eija MEL
15. serfty MEL
16. JessicaTam MEL
17. chchkiwi CHC
18. kpc SYD
19. kpc_gf SYD
20. Bundy Bear BNE
21. upup&away ORD
22. JohnK BNE / SYD
23. Mrs JohnK & Miss Mini JohnK BNE / SYD
24. Governator USA
25. Governator_+1 USA
26. fifa OOL
27. Mr fifa OOL
28. dogloverjb EWR
29. dogloverjb_+1 EWR
30. tom911 SFO
31. Zorak SFO/SJC
32. Thai-Kiwi PPQ
33. sbiddle WLG
34. perk WLG
35. perk_+1 WLG
36. ClaudiSTR STR
37. nomadic.relief YVR
38. boxo MRY
39. boxo_+1 MRY
40. Antonio8069 Canada
41. Antonio8069_+1 Canada
42. FLYGVA DUS
43. flospi Switzerland
44. jswong WLG
45. koeby Switzerland

Gold Probable - Maybe

1. Perthite MEL
2. penegal MEL Note
3. monitor NYC
4. Frantic NYC
5. marbe166 CGN
6. Plainsman ORD
7. CDKing BOS / ORH
8. CDKing_+1 BOS / ORH
9. rxgeek CMH
10. rxgeek_+1 CMH
11. futuramadramallama USA/SYD (moving to SYD in May)

Silver- Interested

1. redtigeriii PDX
2. Scubabe Aust

Bronze - can't make it

1. Jimmie Jet MEL/YYC
2. Jimmie Jet_+1 MEL/YYC
3. Austin787 AUS
4. tuapekastar MEL
5. kirkwoodj IAH
6. restlessinRNO RNO
7. restlessinRNO_+1 RNO
8. YYCowboy YYC

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Note
Post 16 "Confirming copper status. I had better show up one day."
penegal’s real status for all FT & AFF do’s:- Copper - I won't know until the last minute as work may get in the way or I may have to fly to SIN or somewhere else for one reason or another or I just can't make up my mind. He will show up some time!

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Oz Fest

Activities & Who is doing what:

Over time this post will be have more information and links to other posts in this thread.
We set up a web based reservation system to book and pay for activities in March- April

Some activities require pre payment and others a commitment to attend. Some people attend all activities and others a few or maybe only the main Saturday night dinner. All are welcome albeit all or 1 activity. On Friday some of the early attendees meet for lunch/what ever. People can start to arrive from Wednesday and some do not leave until the following Tuesday/Wednesday. Some people leave Oz Fest on the Sunday.

Generally Oz Fest has

• Friday evening drinks-dinner
• Saturday activity or activities. Sometimes a bus day trip
• Saturday evening Oz Fest dinner. Tends to get 100% participation
• Sunday activity or activities.
• Sunday evening casual dinner. Often self organised with no pre booking

The Oz Fest team base costs on people attending activities based on known flights and the history of similar events attended. Due to commitments the Oz Fest team has made/will make to suppliers/vendors no refunds are possible, unless another person takes your place. We often have to pay upfront for activities and/or restaurants. The cost includes the fees (~6%) Oz Fest pay to the reservation web site.

Oz Fest

Hotels
Hotels are listed in this Google doc link
Please click the hotel tab at the bottom.

There are many hotels to suit all budgets.
There are Accor, Hilton, and Marriott(Starwood) chain property's in Brisbane

Having one central hotel location that most folks use, is a very large plus.

• Accor Hotels Brisbane----> link
• IHG Hotels Brisbane----> link
• Marriott(Starwood) Hotels Brisbane ----> link
• FT thread --> Marriott Bonvoy Hotels in Brisbane [Master Thread]

Brisbane Marriott Hotel, 515 Queen Street, Brisbane web site
FT thread--> https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...australia.html (Very old thread - last post Apr 2018)


Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane, 99 Mary Street, Brisbane web site
FT thread--> Four Points Brisbane, Australia, opened March 2014 (last post Apr 2017)


Hilton, 190 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane web site
FT thread--> Hilton Brisbane {AUS}

• kpc & kpc_gf
• Itsalongwaydown & Sue Oz
• marbe166 (gold)
• dogloverjb & dogloverjb_+1
• cocobird
• JessicaTam
• doug_wescott

Holiday Inn Express,Brisbane Central, 168 Wharf St, Brisbane web site
FT thread--> https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inte...sbane-ihg.html


Mantra Midtown 127 Charlotte Street, Brisbane web site

• boxo & boxo_+1

Novotel Brisbane 200 Creek Street, Brisbane web site

• Thai-Kiwi

The Point Brisbane Lambert Street, Brisbane web site

Pullman King George Square, Brisbane web site
FT thread---> Pullman Brisbane KGS - Poor start, great recovery

• perk

Westin, 111 Mary Street, Brisbane web site
FT thread--> Westin Brisbane [Master Thread]

• Antonio8069 & Antonio8069_+1

W Hotel, 81 North Quay, Brisbane web site
FT thread--> W Brisbane, Australia [Master Thread] (last post Dec 2018)
FT thread--> W Hotel to open in Brisbane, Australia in 2018. (last post Sept 2018)

Oz Fest

Flights

Flights are listed in this google doc link

We use flight information to predict activity participation. Helps a lot with planning.

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Additional information associated with flights

• Airport info SYDNEY (SYD) - amenities, transfers, transport Click to open the wiki
• Airport info MELBOURNE (MEL) - amenities, transfers, transport Click to open the wiki
• Airport info BRISBANE (BNE) - amenities, transfers, transport Needs a wiki & updating
• Australia immigration (incl ETA visa) & customs
• Smartgate at Australia & NZ immigration Click to open the wiki
• Free Australian ETA Visa application* - Processing Australian ETAs for free * to FT members (and up to 3 more friends & family) who have more than 80 posts, AND have at least been members for more than 12 months! Please read post 1. Thanks to Guy Betsy for his service to the FT community.
• Australian Government web site direct link -->Australian Electronic Travel Authority AUD$20. For passports holders from Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Hong Kong (SAR PRC), Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and United States.
• Australian Government web site link -->Subclass 651 eVisitor For many other passport holders. Check your eligibility & visa type needed.
• Beware of non government 3rd party look-a-like scam Australia visa web sites that charge more, often found with a browser web search.

Oz Fest

About Bribane, QLD Australia (click on the blue or underlined links)

Will be updated from time to time.

Brisbane & Info FT threads
To be updated over time

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Phones

• Prepaid SIM (Data or Voice) - Australia
• SIM card for a short stay in Australia
• Sim Card in Australia
• Shops at SYD airport for SIM (last post Feb 2016)

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Other
The correct map of the world, with Australia where it really is (at the top)
Australia compared to the USA
Australia vs USA map

Oz Fest

History Of Oz Fests click here for the map.
SYD-SYD-BNE-MEL-HBA-CNS-ADL-DRW-CBR-PER-ASP-AYQ-KKE-OOL-NTL-MCY-SYD

• Oz Fest 01: 2004 22 attended in Sydney [how it all started The very first]
• Oz Fest 02: 2005 58 attended in Sydney
• Oz Fest 03: 2006 28 attended in Brisbane
• Oz Fest 04: 2007 47 attended in Melbourne
• Oz Fest 05: 2008 38 attended in Hobart
• Oz Fest 06: 2009 59 attended in Cairns
• Oz Fest 07: 2010 71 attended in Adelaide
• Oz Fest 08: 2011 44 attended in Darwin
• Oz Fest 09: 2012 51 attended in Canberra
• Oz Fest 10: 2013 59 attended in Perth
• Oz Fest 11: 2014 37 attended in Alice Springs-Ayers Rock
• Oz Fest 12: 2015 41 attended in Bay of Islands, New Zealand
• Oz Fest 13: 2016 44 attended in the Gold Coast
• Oz Fest 14: 2017 42 attended in Newcastle
• Oz Fest 15: 2018 40 attended in Noosa
• Oz Fest 16: 2019 49 attended in Sydney
• Oz Fest 17: 2020 00 attended in Brisbane (postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic)

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266 individual FTer's have attended Oz Fest 1 to Oz Fest 16 inclusive at an average of 2.77 per person. 37 people have attended 5 or more Oz Fest’s. About 40% from USA. Repeat attendee’s at Oz Fest’s are about 80% with 20% newbie’s.

Continuous attendance, without missing an Oz Fest.
Some people have attended more, but have missed 1 or more Oz Fest’s

• 15 - restlessinRNO Oz Fest 02 SYD to Oz Fest 16 SYD (inclusive)
• 14 - Itsalongwaydown Oz Fest 03 BNE to Oz Fest 16 SYD (inclusive)
• 14 - Sue Oz Oz Fest 03 BNE to Oz Fest 16 SYD (inclusive)
• 13 - Serfty Oz Fest 02 SYD to Oz Fest 14 NTL (inclusive)
• 13 - Fredd Oz Fest 04 MEL to Oz Fest 16 SYD (inclusive)
• 13 - Mrs Fredd Oz Fest 04 MEL to Oz Fest 16 SYD (inclusive)
• 11 - Ozstamps Oz Fest 01 SYD to Oz Fest 11 ASP (inclusive)
• 11 - JohnSydney2000 Oz Fest 06 CNS to Oz Fest 16 SYD (inclusive)
• 11 - Chchkiwi Oz Fest 06 CNS to Oz Fest 16 SYD (inclusive)

As up to and including Oz Fest 16
16 FTer for attending all 16 previous Oz Fests
no one

15 FTer for attending 15 previous Oz Fests
QF WP
restlessinRNO

14 FTer for attending 14 previous Oz Fests
Itsalongwaydown
Sue Oz
JohnSydney2000
Serfty

13 FTer's for attending 13 previous Oz Fests
kpc
Fredd
Mrs Fredd
JohnK

12 FTer's for attending 12 previous Oz Fests
Bundy Bear
upup&away

11 FTer's for attending 11 previous Oz Fests
Mrs QF WP
ozstamps
chchkiwi

10 FTer's for attending 10 previous Oz Fests
jswong
tom911
spaceman

9 FTer's for attending 9 previous Oz Fests
fifa
kpc_gf
gvdIAD
MargoOz
To Market to Market
Perthite

8 FTer's for attending 8 previous Oz Fests
Mr fifa
falconea
Mr falconea
Frantic
Monitor

Oz Fest

Spare post for later

restlessinRNO

Please put us down as Gold at this time. Thank you for organizing.

restlessinRNO
restlessinRNO+1.

falconea

This time we both plan to be there!

It's been a while, alas.

Audrey

cocobird

Please count me in! Thanks.

perthite

Mark me down as Gold for now.

kirkwoodj

doug_westcott

JohnSydney2000