Forum Fest 2014 tentative attendee

[judydawn]

Thanks Gert, I'm happy to go along with anything the others want to do.  Great spiel, it sounds great.

[trudy]

Thanks Gert for all the research I happy with anything that is decided.  The main thing is the "get together".

[gertbysea]

Thanks Trudy and judy. The thing is that  we need everyone going to have an opinion to make a decision. 

We need to know how many for how many nights. How many want to do a wine tour to perhaps the Coal Valley on Friday before we can ask for rooms or a tour.  Sat is good for Salamanca  but we need numbers for dinner that night in order to choose a restaurant

Then it needs for someone local to arrange with a tour company  a Friday trip if wanted.

Or I can contact  tourism Tasmania to put together a package . If that is done it may be all or nothing and not so flexible.

We have a year  or say 10 months  to make a plan and put it all together.

I am sure there are a Lot more ideas out there.

Like the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park

Old Hobart Town model village

Ida Bay Railway

Inverawe  Native Gardens

Louisa's walk

There is a double decker bus with hop on and off

Maritime Museum

Grayline Tours do half and whole day tours as do Let's Show You Tasmania Tours or Herbaceous Tours to meet local farmers and providors.

We don't even have to stay in Hobart if we want a relaxing chatty get together out of town

I think we need more input  myself as not everyone is a pi** pot like me who wants to eat  and drink  everything local. I hate shopping and I know some of you love it so we have to cater for everyone and be where we can all enjoy.

I think getting the rooms is more of a priority and when we have approximate numbers we can seal a deal and everyone can book for themselves. It was lovely having us all together in Adelaide but it was equally nice to have groups as in Margaret river?  Hobart is a small place and most things are less than half an hour out of town.

Thinking caps.

Gert

[achookwoman]

Gert, green with envy.  Thanks for the work you have done in putting it all together.  thinking,   may be a list of essential Hobart experiences.  example Salamanca market, Sat 9.00 till 11.00 ,  please attach name if interested.
                                 Mona                   Sat  2.00 till  5.00, please attach name if interested.
This way we may be able to gauge how many interested in what type of events.
We do need to all get together so need to know roughly how many , what venue can take this many.
Just some thoughts on the logistics.

[gertbysea]

Now we are cooking chookie!

Gert

[cookie1]

I'd like to stay at the Grand Chancellor or somewhere similar to that. If I'm paying the air fair I would like to be somewhere a little bit super duper. I'd love to see the Bruny Island cheese man. ( I guess he sells at the markets). I am happy to spend the day T the markets or half a day as I have never been.
I adore Tassy Devils so a visit to the park would be great
A visit to MONA sounds awesome.
Coal Valley and Richmond sounds wonderful.
I love hop off, hop on bus tours as you see lots easily.
I am not a big drinker but am more than happy to have a drink and chat while others do. as someone said it is the company.
I am not a foodie, but love food and would love trying just a few of the delights Tassy has to offer.
 I also would love to spend a little time shopping. But that isn't vital.
I want to come NOW.

[achookwoman]

Last time we were in Tassie,  the Bruny Island cheese man was selling his cheese from Mathew Evans shop which is in the Salamanca complex.  His cheese is very nice, especially Tom,  which is a cheddar.  We were able to take some home.

[jeninwa]

At this stage I will be in Hobart 4 or 5 days before our get together, could help with arrangements and would like to stay at the Grand Chancellor, if we stay in the city.
Friday - Mona
Saturday Markets 9 - 11
Richmond for lunch ( the bakery has the best scallop pies) and Coal Valley wine tour.
Dinner Saturday night ? I'll ask my sil if she can recommend some place for 30 people.
Sunday ?

[cookie1]

Sounds perfect to me Jeninwa.

[judydawn]

Yes, me too.   

[Mama Fergie]

And me Jen it sounds perfect 

[Bedlam]

I'm jealous!
Gert, you write so well. Even though i cant make it, thankyou for your very descriptive accounts. What fun for you all.

[gertbysea]

Ok Grand  Chancellor it is then.  As I have said before I have seen rates for around $160 but my several enquiries  have been somewhat terse and  around $190. Anyone want to try to do better ? My plan was  20 rooms plus pre booked by August 15 and possibly dinner on Sat night for about 30 plus . The restaurant gets mixed reviews but generally good.

From my observation the interesting well placed and reasonable restaurants would struggle to seat 30 plus comfortably except for those touristy fish and chip restaurants around the waterfront. Muers is one of those in a beautiful location but I have eaten there in the past, have given it a couple of goes and it is overpriced for utter utter. ,

The market goes all day Sat and I think 2 hours would not be long enough for most. Probably take an hour to walk it without stopping much! There are over 300 stalls not to mention the shops.Then you might want to walk the four to five blocks back to the hotel to drop your shopping.

Richmond is about 25 minutes from  Hobart. There are 5 wineries in the Coal Valley and the Wicked cheese Factory. I bought 700 gms of a very ripe Brie for $5.00. In Richmond There are a couple of tea rooms and a pub apart from the bakery which is recommended. There is also the Barilla Bay oyster farm on the way back from The Coal Valley if you do the circuit north east to South.

The ferry to MONA goes  roughly ever hour until  5ish from  memory and can be booked in advance as is the entrance to MONA. Locals can visit MONA for free. If you book one ferry and want to change the time it's is not a problem.

I guess we had better see how many will be there on Friday.

Gert

[gertbysea]

Dining area of the Frogmore Winery




Inside the Wicked Cheese Factory

[trudy]

Gert you sound like you have been having such a great time.  We all should be there with you!!!!!