There seems to be an almost respectable number of Aussie and Kiwi Dopers around these days, and this has got me thinking that now the SDMB spark in this part of the world has become a small flame, we should… I dunno…do something.
A website? I’d be happy to knock one together, and would welcome any ideas.
Dare I say it, a Dopefest? Booze-up at Circular Quay? Guess it’d have to be in Sydney, but how far would people be willing to travel? From Melbourne? hmmm… Auckland? Double hmmm.
With the state of the AUD I think we might be able to convince some of the US Dopers to come over. With any luck they might bring some of their beautiful, beatuiful dollars.
Make the Dopefest in Sydney, and I’m there (Although this mightn’t be a good thing)!
Ice Wolf, it was your plaintive lament about the lack of Dopefests in this part of the world in another thread that got me thinking about this in the first place. And it turns out you’re not alone in Auckland. It’d be brilliant if you guys could head across the Tasman. I’ll organise the cider.
According to the Doper Map, we currently have the following people:
Australia
[ul]
[li]New South Wales: Ell, reprise, my good self.[/li][li]Victoria: Cazzle, Phaeton, picmr, Redboss.[/li][li]Queensland: Gaspode, dpr, tv snake.[/li][/ul]
**
So looks like we’ve got ourselves a Doper’s dozen. I suspect there are a few more who aren’t on the map. I’d be keen to hear from any US or other Dopers who are planning on heading this way - especially if more than one were to come at the same time, we could try and time any future gathering around that. Sheesh, anything to boost the numbers! Maybe we could even kidnap a moderator.
As far as the website goes, I thought something along the lines of the wonderful The People of the Straight Dope site - only smaller and much more local.
Anybody with ideas or suggestions is welcome to email me at fre@k.st, or find me on ICQ at 23051673 or Yahoo (ajbrownlee). Usually mid mornings or late at night Eastern Australian Standard Time.
Hmmm. Looks like Sydney’s in danger of losing its bid (not that I suggested it only because I live here! ). We can snare a minor event like the Olympic Games, but a Dopefest is beyond us.
Seriously, I’d be happy to make the trip to Brisbane. I suggested Sydney at first because it seemed to be the best compromise geographically between Melbourne, Brisbane, and Auckland. However, it’s rapidly becoming clear that Brissy’s the Straight Dope Capital of Australia, and I haven’t heard from any Victorians yet…
Part of the problem of being a relative newbie is that I didn’t even know Ozdope had taken place. Damn, I was hoping to snare a first! So, “Ozdope II” it is then.
Hi all,
I’ll be in New Zealand from May 18th to June 7th. I’ll be flying in and out of Auckland, making my way to Christchurch to visit my brother, and hopefully doing most of the essential once-in-a-lifetime tourist stuff along the way, so time is pretty tight, but I’d love to meet some of you for drinks / coffee / whatever, if it’s convenient.
Afraid I’ll have to save Australia for some other year, though – I’m already strapped for time and money as it is.
I’m in Melbourne. I was in Sydney briefly a coupla weeks back. I will be in Adelaide briefly in a couple of months, then Brisbane briefly a couple of months after that. I’m becoming a sort of jetsetter, it seems.
If anything coincides with my travels, that’d rock. I’d love to meet you all and be a part of a Dopefest at last.
Notch another one up for Sydney, as a blatant underposter and over fester, a gold plastic harbour bridge pencil sharpener, would look kinda swell next to my tower bridge corkscrew from the London fest and an odd shaped souvenir from the amsterdamfest that I haven’t quite worked out the purpose of, and that looks nothing like the Rijksmuseum.
I’ll be in Sydney later this year for a couple of days. I will have a kid with me though so that limits dopefestery I guess. We’ll be going to Sydney University for testing and I am liable to be a hysterical hag.
Guanolad give us plenty of notice (or bugger all notice ) and I’m sure a dopefest can be arranged. What’s up with nysmys and dpr?
Just found out Kipper comes from Christchurch – does that bring the Kiwi doper total up to 4?
I’d love to meet you Aussies “over the ditch”, but travel costs are a no-no right now. How ‘bout you guys tell me exactly what time it’s on, and I’ll raise a cyber glass o’ cider to you in toast, hmm?
Just thought – if the Down Under version of “People of the SDMB” got under way … and we emailed pictures of us to be put on the site … an’ Ice Wolf emailed a picture of herself … shudder … said site wouldn’t be so “wonderful” any more, people. Nosiree!
). We can snare a minor event like the Olympic Games, but a Dopefest is beyond us.
but man I was sick!