Australia's First MEGA EVENT ???

[Geof]

Councle approval that would require:

A specific organisation / entity.

OH&S.

Insurance.

Sanitation services.

Registration details (Medical history, Personal info etc).

Accounts receivable.

First Aid.

And the list goes on.........

Do we realy want a mega event

[roostaman]

I don't know about Council approval, as such an event would be held at a large camp ground or event facility. Our last event was at a scout camp ground which caters for up to 1,000 kids at a jamboree, with bunk accommodation for some also. Such a place is available at a hire price, which includes kitchen, bbq's, halls, toilets, lots of parking and tent space etc etc. I am sure everwhere else has such a similar option. The ACT certainly does.

Insurance would still be a consideration, and it is possible that the Geocaching Inc would be involved by then, so an event may be able to come under their umbrella. just a thought.... If we thought of all the reasons not to have one, then we wouldn't even have small events, because the organisers could not afford Liability Insurance for them either.

Otherwise, I am sure some aussie travellers that have been to the USA and have good contacts there would be able to obtain some advice on the needs and requirements of a BIG Mega event, especially if some of the contacts may have been involved in organising one.

Does anybody have such contacts ???

[Bronze]

One thing I have learnt from my time organising events is that it don't matter how good it is / was you won't get Sydney cachers attending events outside of Sydney. It's just not a done thing. It must be uncool or something. You will get one or two but on every big event we have run (at Dubbo) we have had more people from Melbourne and Adelaide attend than Sydney which was only 5 hours away.

If you want to organise a Mega Event then I suggest it has to be in Sydney or Melbourne to come close to 500 cachers and plan it at least 18 months in advance. You will need possibly at least 5 teams involved in the administration (Minimum of 5 organizers) and you will need to advertise like crazy the date, location and what is on offer. I would also suggest you somehow make it all things to all people. Strangely enough cachers are clikey people and have a preference for they type of caching they do.

From experience as an organiser I have come to the conclusion that the smaller the event the better.

My 2cents worth for this thread.

Bronze.

[mtrax]

perhaps as was previously said a "Main Event" would be a better option and could be upgraded in any case.
but my thinking is at the very least a single national event which is well publicised ..
ie get some core teams from each region to drum up support so we can make a bigger than big event..

[Bronze]

Well you need help you have my support. I'm happy to share the work we have done in Red Ochre Country so the same mistakes aren't made. We have learnt a lot from those events and I'm happy to support a Mega Event in whatever shape it takes.

B.

[Groboz]

Wow, 30 Geocachers in the NT. I wonder where they are all hiding?

[Richary]

We have used Cataract Scout Camp south of Sydney before for our radio club events. There are about 9 campsites, each with lots of space for tents etc as well as lots of bunk bed camping. Also an open hall in each one with limited cooking facilities. Also there are toilets and showers.

We have only ever taken one site before, but I guess for an event like this you would need to take the whole place. It costs about $15 per night per person from memory. It would be a big enough area to hide plenty of temporary caches for games and other excercises.

Whether they would take a booking like that from an individual without a substantial deposit I have no idea.

[Cached]

Cataract Scout Park can hold in the region of 10,000 for a Jamboree.

[SamCarter]

There are a number of Scouty-type people who are cachers. I don't know who is in NSW or how high up the organisational echelons they go (after all, we hide behind uniforms when we're Scouting, and behind caching names when we cache (!), and so I don't even know who else is involved in Victoria), but there are probably a few leaders lurking in the woodwork. But yes, you'd almost certainly need a deposit, especially if booking out bunkhouses and cooking facilities.

[Richary]

Now that would fill the place up. While a number of us would be happy to camp, somewhere like that offers the option of beds for those who don't have swags or tents. Even if it is dorm/bunk accomodation.

And for those that felt the need for even more comfort/privacy like a motel room, Campbelltown isn't too far away. Just a thought if the idea ever goes ahead.

I assume other scout camps near major cities would have similar facilities. But if you ever hope to attract 500 people the accomodation oprtions need to be as flexible as possible. And the local Appin takeaway and general store won't know what has hit!

[Huurtle]

So I guess from my original posting, there is no mega event in the pipeline? There is in fact an event in Tassie, it doesn't seem to be listed on gc.com?
Thanks to all who have put their views forward, it certainly seems that many would like some sort of mega event! Which state is always going to be the eternal question, until somene/group takes the event by the proverbial and gets it up and running, there is always going to be this 'our state is better' type of arguement! My 2 cents on that would be that Adelaide should host it, since we have some of the most active finders, and certainly a very high concentration of metropolitan AND country cache.
Does the event have to be highly organised? Why can't the info be supplied and those who attend, do so at their own risk!
Why do prizes/incentive HAVE TO BE offered to get cachers to go to an event? The opportunity to attend a unique event and meet cachers whom you have only seen their name on logs before, should be what it's all about? We regularly get at least 20 teams(sometimes 40) to a monthly lunch in the city!
And as far as having to be close to Sydney to get the Sydneysiders go, well, if that's the attitude, let them organise their own...
At the end of the day, I think we may struggle to get 500 teams to an event, but will we really know until we stop talking about it and getting off our backsides and away from the pc and organise it...?

[Map Monkey]

So I guess from my original posting, there is no mega event in the pipeline? There is in fact an event in Tassie, it doesn't seem to be listed on gc.com?

I believe there is still an Event (nothing Mega) happening at that time (well it had better....we are still going )

Thanks to all who have put their views forward, it certainly seems that many would like some sort of mega event! Which state is always going to be the eternal question, until somene/group takes the event by the proverbial and gets it up and running, there is always going to be this 'our state is better' type of arguement!

i haven't seen that at all, rather a discussion on which are has the most active cachers, making for a likely location.

My 2 cents on that would be that Adelaide should host it, since we have some of the most active finders, and certainly a very high concentration of metropolitan AND country cache.

IMO, having a high concentration of caches is no requirement for an Event...Tasmania is a good example, with quality locations more than making up for any lack of "numbers". I would say that most capital cities in Australia, except for possibly Darwin (only because i havent done any caching there, no disrespect intended) would have "adequate" caches to run a large Event.

Does the event have to be highly organised?

It helps if one wants to attract more cachers, however cachers are a picky bunch, and this doesn't necessarily guarantee a successful Event.

Why can't the info be supplied and those who attend, do so at their own risk!

"Large" Events at private venues generally require some form of Public Liability insurance, as the risk increases of injury to members of the public. It is not the risk to ourselves that this type of coverage is offering (eg Personal injury insurance) rather protection from external sources. Part of the Australian community standards now unfortunately (ask any long term club executive of the changing face of insurance).

Why do prizes/incentive HAVE TO BE offered to get cachers to go to an event? The opportunity to attend a unique event and meet cachers whom you have only seen their name on logs before, should be what it's all about? We regularly get at least 20 teams(sometimes 40) to a monthly lunch in the city!

If you are aiming for 500 for Mega-Event Status, you will require more than "the best steak in town" advertising. It is always nice to give away some prizes, as in most cases they don't cost anything (donations, sponsorship etc).

Caching means different things to different people...some cachers just don't want to meet other cachers. Think about all the local Events that have been held in you area, and how many cachers attend them compared to how cachers are in the area. The attendance levels are relatively low, even though the Events may be considered well planned, or interesting, and there are numerous factors that influence this, many which we have no control over.

And as far as having to be close to Sydney to get the Sydneysiders go, well, if that's the attitude, let them organise their own...

That is a rather negative way of looking at it. IF it was to be held in Sydney, how many SA's do you think would go? You are implying that ALL SA's will attend as they don't have the same attitude. Unfortunately many will not attend an Event due to distances and/or costs and that is a fact that will have to be considered in the long run. For example, it is far easier and cheaper for many Qlders to fly/drive to Sydney than to Adelaide, however it will not stop some of us who can travel to do so, no matter where it may be held.

At the end of the day, I think we may struggle to get 500 teams to an event, but will we really know until we stop talking about it and getting off our backsides and away from the pc and organise it...?

The pessimistic side of me would say that one may get 100-150 if lucky. The optimistic side of me would say 200.

mm

[Huurtle]

If I had known my comments would be picked over and taken out of perspective AND context, I certainly would not have written anything. The words I wrote were written as a result of what others had written(why not quote them too?) An example being 'Bronze' wrote about Sydney people not going to events, I didn't just throw it in as a one-liner!
I'll go back to my corner, and sit back like everyone else and attend my 1st mega-event OVERSEAS. Slap me for even asking the original question...

[Jardry]

Trying to instill a little humour - perhaps someone can create a Whereigo cartridge and hold a Mega Event in the ether of the Whereigo cartridge where we only need 500 teams to meet in the same ether at the same time, rather than physically at the same location on planet Earth.

Unfortunately cacher density in Australia isn't sufficient to be able to conduct a MEGA Event. Groundspeak should be considering another event category which is inbetween a local event and the MEGA event.

I like the concept of a MAIN Event which could only be held within a certain radius of GZ, perhaps 500kms every 6 or 12 months which would allow each state (and territory) to conduct one or two MAIN events each year.

Thanks TeamHurtle for raising the topic and generating the debate.

Jardry

[Map Monkey]

Geez, lighten up mate...

You ask some questions, mention some statements...i'm just answering them with my opinion......take it or leave it like everyone else, it doesn't affect me.

Quoting is just used to follow the conversation, nothing more....not an attempt to "be picked over and taken out of perspective AND context". I'm sorry that you feel that is the case.

mm