Birdsville Races. April Edition
Thread Starter
Birdsville Races. April Edition
So who went? What feed back can you give? Landing Fee? Fuel cost? Numbers of punters? Number of aircraft?
I get the feeling that Birdsville Races as a pilot's destination is over and that the event is over commercialised.
I get the feeling that Birdsville Races as a pilot's destination is over and that the event is over commercialised.
Did the idiot council back down and allow underwing camping this year?
EDIT: Apparently not..."Camping is not permitted on the airside at Birdsville Airport. Please ensure you have accommodation booked before flying in".
Add in a $200 per aircraft flagfall, $20/t landing fee and parking at $25 a night, and $570 for a (2man person) tent and it's an expensive endeavour...Before you even think about the $$ for the nags...
EDIT: Apparently not..."Camping is not permitted on the airside at Birdsville Airport. Please ensure you have accommodation booked before flying in".
Add in a $200 per aircraft flagfall, $20/t landing fee and parking at $25 a night, and $570 for a (2
I have friends who run it, and they definitely wouldn’t let it become too commercial. They’re just a new generation who want to make it different but better than before and with more events on (fun run, cocktail ball, etc.).
I think the days of it being a mass fly-in though are over. Definitely not that huge event that it used to be.
$200 per aircraft flagfall, $20/t landing fee and parking at $25 a night
There was a picture on Facebook showing about 6 aircraft.
So two nights there in a 3000Lb single is what? $200 + $30 + $50 + $570 = $850 befoe you've spent a dollar at the event itself?!? And that's not counting the fuel to get there either at whatever ungodly price it is this week!
Talk about an expensive weekend...
I’m assuming that’s $570 for a 2 person glamping style tent?
Thread Starter
I think that the costing spelt out by Squawk spells the end of flying into the Birdsville Races.
Disappointing. It used to be the premier event for pilots and passengers of light aircraft to fly to from around the nation.
Now over commercialised. The fare of the over well heeled and the tour companies that will buy up big on entry tickets.
If there is a $200 fly-in arrival fee one has to ask do SUVs and the caravan nomads crew get charged the same for driving to the BDV Races?
One has the feeling that the Bedourie Council decision makers have shot themselves in the foot.
Disappointing. It used to be the premier event for pilots and passengers of light aircraft to fly to from around the nation.
Now over commercialised. The fare of the over well heeled and the tour companies that will buy up big on entry tickets.
If there is a $200 fly-in arrival fee one has to ask do SUVs and the caravan nomads crew get charged the same for driving to the BDV Races?
One has the feeling that the Bedourie Council decision makers have shot themselves in the foot.
Inasmuch as the below tent is considered "glamping"...And that's without any extras such as sleeping bag, pillow, chair, lantern etc etc They're all additional...For your $570 you just get a bare tent, in Tent City. BYO everything else.
I'd have to agree with you. I don't think they do either, but if I'm expected to spend that much coin, before even paying for entry to the races they can take a hike. I'll go somewhere where my aircraft, passengers and I are welcomed, and where underwing camping is expected of those flying in, like Raglan or similar.
Originally Posted by runway16
If there is a $200 fly-in arrival fee one has to ask do SUVs and the caravan nomads crew get charged the same for driving to the BDV Races?
One has the feeling that the Bedourie Council decision makers have shot themselves in the foot.
One has the feeling that the Bedourie Council decision makers have shot themselves in the foot.
You know that you can still take a tent and camp on the town common for nothing right? Just like everyone else 
.
I wouldn’t blame any of the organisers one bit for your inability to camp under the wing nor for the landing fees, that’s entirely up to the Diamantina Shire Council (not the Bedourie council). The race organisers have absolutely nothing to do with it.
And I don’t get your gripe deja vu
.
So, basically it sounds as if none of you have been out there for years and are trying to hang onto the past?
.I wouldn’t blame any of the organisers one bit for your inability to camp under the wing nor for the landing fees, that’s entirely up to the Diamantina Shire Council (not the Bedourie council). The race organisers have absolutely nothing to do with it.
And I don’t get your gripe deja vu
.So, basically it sounds as if none of you have been out there for years and are trying to hang onto the past?
Otherwise it's Tent City or the tourist park, according to their website.
Originally Posted by morno
So, basically it sounds as if none of you have been out there for years and are trying to hang onto the past?
Birdsville has just joined the exclusive group of popular events permanently ruined or destroyed by being "Taken up market" if I read Morno correctly.
The process is always the same:
1) A community group decides to hold an event to raise funds for charity. Over time the good management, obvious value for money and unique experience attract a large following of ordinary people. The charity makes $$$. Everyone is happy.
2) A greedy bastard steps in and decides that they will take a share of the charity money.
3) greedy bastard convinces authorities that there are customers who can and will pay much, much more than current fees in exchange for "a superior experience". that is code for what was called "the carriage trade" - rich folk to monopolize the event. Modern marketing cant for this process is "taking the event up market". The charity will get no more money, greedy bastard and authority will pocket the premium.
4) The event is dressed up (green sustainable exclusive, etc.) and prices are quadrupled or more. Corporate boxes and luxury packages are sold. The volunteers who built the event are excluded and replaced with paid subcontractors.
5) Everyone makes money until the corporate customers disappear, as always happens in an economic downturn.The average punter has long been priced out of the market in favor of corporate customers.
6) The event collapses under the weight of the fixed cost base it inflicted on itself. Volunteers work for free. Subcontractors don't. The general public were priced out of attending and have made other entertainment arrangements,
7) Some years later, a group of volunteers get an idea about how to raise money for charity. They resurrect the original idea.
Vale: Sail Geelong race week. Portsea Polo and numerous other events.
The process is always the same:
1) A community group decides to hold an event to raise funds for charity. Over time the good management, obvious value for money and unique experience attract a large following of ordinary people. The charity makes $$$. Everyone is happy.
2) A greedy bastard steps in and decides that they will take a share of the charity money.
3) greedy bastard convinces authorities that there are customers who can and will pay much, much more than current fees in exchange for "a superior experience". that is code for what was called "the carriage trade" - rich folk to monopolize the event. Modern marketing cant for this process is "taking the event up market". The charity will get no more money, greedy bastard and authority will pocket the premium.
4) The event is dressed up (green sustainable exclusive, etc.) and prices are quadrupled or more. Corporate boxes and luxury packages are sold. The volunteers who built the event are excluded and replaced with paid subcontractors.
5) Everyone makes money until the corporate customers disappear, as always happens in an economic downturn.The average punter has long been priced out of the market in favor of corporate customers.
6) The event collapses under the weight of the fixed cost base it inflicted on itself. Volunteers work for free. Subcontractors don't. The general public were priced out of attending and have made other entertainment arrangements,
7) Some years later, a group of volunteers get an idea about how to raise money for charity. They resurrect the original idea.
Vale: Sail Geelong race week. Portsea Polo and numerous other events.
Birdsville has just joined the exclusive group of popular events permanently ruined or destroyed by being "Taken up market" if I read Morno correctly.
The process is always the same:
1) A community group decides to hold an event to raise funds for charity. Over time the good management, obvious value for money and unique experience attract a large following of ordinary people. The charity makes $$$. Everyone is happy.
2) A greedy bastard steps in and decides that they will take a share of the charity money.
3) greedy bastard convinces authorities that there are customers who can and will pay much, much more than current fees in exchange for "a superior experience". that is code for what was called "the carriage trade" - rich folk to monopolize the event. Modern marketing cant for this process is "taking the event up market". The charity will get no more money, greedy bastard and authority will pocket the premium.
4) The event is dressed up (green sustainable exclusive, etc.) and prices are quadrupled or more. Corporate boxes and luxury packages are sold. The volunteers who built the event are excluded and replaced with paid subcontractors.
5) Everyone makes money until the corporate customers disappear, as always happens in an economic downturn.The average punter has long been priced out of the market in favor of corporate customers.
6) The event collapses under the weight of the fixed cost base it inflicted on itself. Volunteers work for free. Subcontractors don't. The general public were priced out of attending and have made other entertainment arrangements,
7) Some years later, a group of volunteers get an idea about how to raise money for charity. They resurrect the original idea.
Vale: Sail Geelong race week. Portsea Polo and numerous other events.
The process is always the same:
1) A community group decides to hold an event to raise funds for charity. Over time the good management, obvious value for money and unique experience attract a large following of ordinary people. The charity makes $$$. Everyone is happy.
2) A greedy bastard steps in and decides that they will take a share of the charity money.
3) greedy bastard convinces authorities that there are customers who can and will pay much, much more than current fees in exchange for "a superior experience". that is code for what was called "the carriage trade" - rich folk to monopolize the event. Modern marketing cant for this process is "taking the event up market". The charity will get no more money, greedy bastard and authority will pocket the premium.
4) The event is dressed up (green sustainable exclusive, etc.) and prices are quadrupled or more. Corporate boxes and luxury packages are sold. The volunteers who built the event are excluded and replaced with paid subcontractors.
5) Everyone makes money until the corporate customers disappear, as always happens in an economic downturn.The average punter has long been priced out of the market in favor of corporate customers.
6) The event collapses under the weight of the fixed cost base it inflicted on itself. Volunteers work for free. Subcontractors don't. The general public were priced out of attending and have made other entertainment arrangements,
7) Some years later, a group of volunteers get an idea about how to raise money for charity. They resurrect the original idea.
Vale: Sail Geelong race week. Portsea Polo and numerous other events.
Like I said, there’s only one organisation responsible for the problems you’re seeing at the airport, and it’s definitely not the race club. The race club have distanced themselves from it.
And everything else you have written is also an incorrect assumption about the event. It’s still very much an event for everyone, but it’s now an event with other events to add to the weekend.
Kraviator, hope you make it out one time. It’s a fantastic event that’s really well done these days. Just a shame the camping under the wing has disappeared. Maybe one day the council might come to their senses and realise the damage they’re doing.
Morno, thanks for your reply and Happy Easter.
I hope you are right about the vision of the new generation:
My experience of such events is that the people who want to get control always say that they want to make it better. However that is usually code for taking the event up market as you have already suggested (re beer swilling Bogans).
The problem the new management face is that the so called "beer swilling Bogans" come in their thousands and contribute the lions share of the cash and most importantly, they come rain, hail or shine every year, drought or flood because they mentally have "ownership" of the event. Once you tamper with that and tell the Bogans they are not wanted by changing prices and offerings that exclude them, they will go elsewhere.
While that gives you a "Nice" Bogan free event, you had better hope that the up market corporate crowd you sold the event to keep coming back. My experience is that such clientele is very fickle and they certainly don't come rain hail or shine. This becomes apparent when the gate takings start dropping but the cost burdens of all those "Nice" add ons - fun run, Cocktail Ball, etc. etc, keep increasing.
.....And the pricing has just cost the races all those Airplane Bogans who want to camp under their wing. Moral of the story: be very careful about changing the nature of successful local events. They are very easy to destroy and hard to rebuild.
I hope you are right about the vision of the new generation:
Over commercialised, no. Trying to get it more orientated towards those who aren’t beer swilling, singlet wearing bogans? Yes, definitely.
I have friends who run it, and they definitely wouldn’t let it become too commercial. They’re just a new generation who want to make it different but better than before and with more events on (fun run, cocktail ball, etc.).
I have friends who run it, and they definitely wouldn’t let it become too commercial. They’re just a new generation who want to make it different but better than before and with more events on (fun run, cocktail ball, etc.).
The problem the new management face is that the so called "beer swilling Bogans" come in their thousands and contribute the lions share of the cash and most importantly, they come rain, hail or shine every year, drought or flood because they mentally have "ownership" of the event. Once you tamper with that and tell the Bogans they are not wanted by changing prices and offerings that exclude them, they will go elsewhere.
While that gives you a "Nice" Bogan free event, you had better hope that the up market corporate crowd you sold the event to keep coming back. My experience is that such clientele is very fickle and they certainly don't come rain hail or shine. This becomes apparent when the gate takings start dropping but the cost burdens of all those "Nice" add ons - fun run, Cocktail Ball, etc. etc, keep increasing.
.....And the pricing has just cost the races all those Airplane Bogans who want to camp under their wing. Moral of the story: be very careful about changing the nature of successful local events. They are very easy to destroy and hard to rebuild.