Winter Retreat 2009

[cleverfellow]

Winter Retreat 2009 is coming!

Venue will be the same as last year - Leslie Dam at Warwick.

Winter Retreat 2009 will be held July 10-12 (Friday to Sunday).

It will be fun, it will be cold!

If you haven't been before, Winter Retreat is a winter week-end of board gaming fun, where the club takes a trip to the coldest place we can find, puts a mound of logs on the fire, and play! The week-end is fully catered and meals and accommodation are included in your cost.

Families and children are welcome as always.


If you're planning on attending, please let the committee members know asap, so we can get a good idea of numbers, for ordering food and so on. Special meals (eg vegetarian) are available on request.

Also, I mean it when I say it's cold! Leslie Dam has UNHEATED accommodation (but with hot running water), so blankets, duvets, pillows and a towel are an absolute must. Don't come unprepared.

[lyrebird]

Dear Clever

Any firm date yet?

I will be most likely bringing 5 people, of whom only one is a fledgling.

Lyrebird

[cleverfellow]

I've modified the post above to include the date. I'll add the cost once we can confirm that.

[bensmall]

I'm amazed heaters aren't provided. They are essential. I slept fully clothed, blanket, beanie, and was still cold

Everyone bring a heater per room, will make the weekend perfect.

[cleverfellow]

That is a good idea. Each room sleeps four (two bunk beds) and has power sockets available for bar heaters and suchlike.

[lyrebird]

Not to be a frozen wet blanket, but you may find that heaters are a health and safety no-no. Although I did notice/ set off the fire alarm in our room last year (steam).

Heaters left on at night in Winter seem to claim someone up here every year.

I'm planning on a couple of hot water bottles or buckets of steaming water in my room.

Lyrebird

[keithdone]

I agree with Lyrebird - I believe you cannot use heaters for H&S reasons, I will get Eddie to confirm this. Keep posted.

Regards,

Keith

[bensmall]

Hmmm, how do the stats compare to those we lose via hypothermia. I'd imagine all fires are caused by a lack of common sense, ie in range of bedding that could fall off the bed during the night.

I intend to bring a small bar heater, and a smoke alarm.

[shags]

I survived fine last year with a sleeping bag and a thermal blanket. But yeah it's fricking cold.

[keithdone]

Hi Ben,

My duties at QUT included Work place Health and Safety. The reason that you would be prevented from using your own heater relates to the concept of duty of care by an organisation to the persons using the facility.

The venue would be required by OHS law to have a qualified electrician inspect all of its equipment on a regular schedule to ensure they complied with Australian Standards and had no faults.

The venue would not be able to guarantee that a heater brought from an external source met with OHS standards and so would be in breach of their duty of care.

Therefore, if your heater burnt down the camp, the venue could be held liable and not you.

I am checking if:

(a) the camp has installed heaters since last year
(b) we are allowed to bring heaters

If no to both, I suggest more blankets or a taun-taun beast and a light sabre.

Regards,

Keith

[keithdone]

I have checked with the venue at Warwick and the answer was as I expected - you cannot bring heating appliances.

So make sure you bring a doona.

Regards,

Keith

[cleverfellow]

Keith that answered only one of your questions - have they installed heaters since last year?

If not I'll be bringing my own. And a duvet.

[lyrebird]

Hmm...

Arranging to go to the coldest part of Queensland, in the coldest time of the year, and then be disturbed by the low temperatures.

Oh, the irony.

(Old Man) Lyrebird

PS. Perhaps next year we could have a Spring Thaw instead of a Winter Retreat.

[keithdone]

Hi Cleverfellow,

(a) The camp have not installed heaters in rooms
(b) You are not allowed to bring a private heater.

Regards,

Keith

[bensmall]

hmmmm didn't some people drive in to town to buy heaters last year? Was it that they didn't know of this rule, or were willing to break it. I think Lyrebird indicated that the rooms have smoke alarms. If its simply a liability policy I think I want to break this rule myself. It sounds like the issue is best left alone, and if some choose to break the no heater rule, so be it.

I really don't want my girls getting sick from being cold. I'm also hoping to get enough sleep to be able to play some games more challenging than killer bunnies, and yes I have no natural insulation.

It seems crazy to me that a place that gets so cold has no heating option for rooms at all. They should have some safe heating installed, and bump up the price, thats better than hypothermia related law suits. I don't mean to sound negative, playing games all weekend and all meals catered for is just awesome.