On Wednesday May 21 the entire conference is being packed into busses to travel into the nearby Yarra Valley. Lunch will be provided at a local winery. Why are we doing this? For several reasons.
First of all I have attended too many conferences in beautiful cities where all I have seen is an airport, taxi, hotel, and auditorium. People are not going to fly around the world to get to MelbourneDAC to not see some real Australian bush - period.
It will be a social day, of course, and that's because the development of viable professional networks is a social activity. The conference papers are things that provide the contexts for dialogue and the Day Out is an event that is to foster these discussions and networks. Professional practice is personal and social and it ought to include friendships and families.
Finally, MelbourneDAC is an intensive conference experience because as an event it is designed to provide a forum that develops ideas and is not a 'talk and walk' event. A Day Out is an opportunity to continue working, but in a new environment, and so is also an opportunity to recharge for the final two days.
Posted by amiles at April 8, 2003 10:51 PM