Festival At Glance DOWNLOAD This will be available as a hard copy in your festival pack onsite.
FAQ’s
- Who do I contact if I need help at the venue?
Look out for people with brightly coloured name badges who are ready to help with your questions. There is also an Information Tent at the venue for you to get help with buses, session sign ups and other key information.
Arrival information
- Where do I go when I arrive in Bridgewater on the day?
We will start on Wednesday 1st March with the ChangeFest Opening Ceremony at the Brighton Pontville Oval at 9:30am. If you are travelling by bus from the Grand Chancellor hotel, you will be taken directly to the oval. Following the ceremony we will travel back to the Brighton Civic Centre where the first plenary session will start.
On Thursday 2nd March and Friday 3rd March the event will commence at the Brighton Civic Centre at 9:30am.
If you arrive outside of these times and not sure where to go, you can attend the ChangeFest Information Tent at the Brighton Civic Centre for more information.
- How will I get the bus to and from the city and the ChangeFest site at Bridgewater?
A limited number of ChangeFest buses from the Grand Chancellor Campbell St Bus Stop to ChangeFest will be departing from 8:30am each day of the event. Please aim to arrive 5-10 minutes prior to departure time. Buses from ChangeFest back to the Grand Chancellor hotel in the city will depart from 4:40pm on March 1st, 7:30pm on March 2nd and 3:40pm on March 3rd.You will be required to make a booking if you intend to take the bus so please fill out this booking form by midday Tuesday 28th February.
If you wish to take public transport please refer to the MetroTas website for a full schedule. Alternatively, you can call a taxi or uber from your accommodation directly to ChangeFest.
- Will there be buses back to the Grand Chancellor hotel before the River Party?
No. The first ChangeFest bus will depart from the River Party back to the Grand Chancellor at 7:30pm. We encourage you to book your place to ensure you have a seat on the bus.
If you would like to return to the Hobart CBD before 7:30pm we recommend taxi, Uber or public transport.
If you wish to take public transport please refer to the MetroTas website for a full schedule. From River Party to Grand Chancellor (54 minutes) take route 522 from stop 52, 12 Thomson Cr, Bridgewater to stop A1 Hobart Interchange, Elizabeth St.
- If I miss the ChangeFest bus, how do I get to the ChangeFest site?
There are options to take Uber or public transport at your own cost.
- Is there public transport?
Yes. Please refer to the MetroTas website for a full schedule.
From River Party to Grand Chancellor (54 minutes) take route 522 from stop 52, 12 Thomson Cr, Bridgewater to stop A1 Hobart Interchange, Elizabeth St.
From Civic Centre to Grand Chancellor (56 minutes) take route 522 from stop 58, outside Bridgewater Plaza, to stop A1 Hobart Interchange, Elizabeth St.
From Grand Chancellor to Civic Centre (56 minutes) take route 522 from stop A1 Hobart Interchange, Elizabeth St to stop 58, outside Bridgewater Plaza.
- If I am driving, where will I park?
There is ample, formal parking at both the Civic Centre and Robins Nest venues. Tea Tree Community Hall, Old Beach Cricket Club have off-street parking in gravel car parks. Parking at Botanical is quite limited, so we encourage you to park at the Civic Centre and walk the 500m to Botanical from there (this path will be marked out in bunting and signage from the Civic Centre carpark). There is also limited parking along William Street on the way to the Kutalayna Levee – we strongly encourage guests to take the complimentary ChangeFest shuttle bus to this site.
Sessions and venue
- Where is the Elders’ space during the event? Who can access this space?
There will be a drop in space ‘Aunties Yarning’ at the Library. You will find more information in the program app. This is a welcoming space and open to all.
- How will I know how to get to each breakout session?
At the end of each big stage session we will provide instructions of how to move to breakout sessions. Additionally, there will be a site host for each venue that will help people find their way to bus transfers or walk to the next venue. Volunteers will be identifiable from visible name tags.
- How do I provide feedback on the ChangeFest event?
Look out for notifications on the app for a link to the CF23 event survey.
Also, on Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtimes we are hosting drop-in conversations about ChangeFest. Look for signs at the Civic Centre and notifications on the event app. At these conversations, you will be invited to share your reflections of what has been valuable about ChangeFest for your work in place-based change and why. This learning will help inform the ongoing support to ChangeFest in the future, including events, and how we continue to work to the principles of the ChangeFest Statement.
- What happens after the event – how we stay connected?
If you would like to continue a conversation through an online community of practice; story sharing groups; collective influencing; blog posts or other way, please sign up here for the Systems Exchange hosted by Collaboration for Impact. This is a place for the ChangeFest movement to stay connected, exchange insights, and access resources between face to face events.
- If it rains, are there any change of plans for outdoor events (opening ceremony, closing ceremony, River Party or breakout sessions)?
We have contingency plans in the event of extreme weather or heavy rain. You will know ahead of scheduled event time if there are any changes due to weather. Notifications will be issued in the event app and an email will be distributed if this is the case. Sessions that would possibly be affected are the opening ceremony, breakout sessions at Kutalayna Levee and the River Party. All other sessions will continue as scheduled.
- I want to attend breakout sessions in different locations on the same day – i.e. at the Civic Centre and then out at Tea Tree – can I do this?
The breakouts have been designed as a hub experience, so you will be at the same venue/hub for the afternoon with the same group of people. Afternoon tea will be served at each venue.
For off-site sessions after lunch you will travel by bus from Civic Centre to Tea Tree Hall, Kutalayana Levee, Robbins Nest or Old Beach Community Hall.
If you choose to stay at the Civic Centre you will have the option to also participate in sessions at the Library and Botanical which are within walking distance from each other.
- Will there be bus transport to / from breakout venues over the afternoon tea break?
No. You will be staying at your breakout venue hub for the duration of each afternoon breakout. The exception is if you are participating in a session at the Kutalayna Levee, in which case there will be a bus to/from Tea Tree Community Hall.
- What if I want to sit out of a breakout session? Are there other spaces available?
The program has been designed to include spaces to relax, rest and take in the Bridgewater area. At each of the breakout venues there will be spaces to chill out and take some space. We also recommend the Botanical gardens as a naturally relaxing and beautiful.
Catering
- What is happening with dietary requirements?
When you registered for your tickets you would have indicated your dietary requirements. These will be catered for. Additionally, there will be vegan and gluten free options available. Unfortunately, we will be unable to cater for any additional dietary requirements that we receive past Friday 24th February.
- Is all food paid for?
Morning, lunch and afternoon tea during the event is provided. The River Party also includes a community feast with free food and non-alcoholic beverages. There will be 500 free meals issued on a first come, first serve basis. After this meals will be at your own cost.
- Who is catering for the event?
Morning and afternoon tea is being catered by the Material Institute head chef Vladimir and friends. All food has been ethically sourced and made with love and care including by Palawa Kipli, the Migrant Resource Centre and Jordan River Senior School.
- What if I want to buy food or snacks?
The event is catered so you should not need to purchase additional food. However, there is a coffee van at the Civic Centre, Woolworths opposite the Civic Centre and a Pie Face convenience store if you wish to purchase additional food and snacks. These shops are within 2 minutes walking distance.
Accessibility
- Where will accessible parking be located?
All venues have accessible parking, except the Kutalayna Levee. The Old Beach Hall has a large accessible parking area and Robins Nest has a mobility lift. If you have any questions of venue-specific locations please check-in at the Information Tent at the Civic Centre.
- Will there be toilets at every venue?.
Yes.
What to bring
- Are there any reasons people will need to bring cash with them to the event?
There will be a coffee van set up in the Civic Centre precinct if you would like to purchase coffee. Robins Nest will also be open for espresso coffee to be purchased.
- I’m not familiar with Tasmanian weather, what should I pack?
The weather forecasts for the Hobart area are relatively reliable so we recommend you check the forecast before you depart and ensure you’ve packed appropriately. While March is not usually cold, it can be, so we recommend packing layers for warmth and rain. The sun can also be strong so packing appropriate sun protection is recommended.