Skeptics National Convention 2008

11–12 October 2008

The Norwood Concert Hall, Adelaide South Australia

Preparations are in hand for the Australian Skeptics National Convention 2008: the venue, the Norwood Concert Hall, is booked, speakers and catering are being arranged. The dinner, at which awards will be presented, will be on the Saturday evening at Adelaide’s famous National Wine Centre.

Fee for the full convention is $110, or $70 for single days, including lunch and morning and afternoon teas. The dinner is $60. Children under 12 free when accompanied by paying adult.

Saturday sessions run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday 10:00 am to 4:15 pm, with Lunch 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on both days.

Topics and Speakers

The convention is planned around a number of themes:

• Education
• Science communication
• The Climate Change debate
• Cognition

Speakers include Debra Panizzon, Kylie Sturgess, Ian Plimer, Barry Brook, Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton, Margaret Kittson... For details see the Speakers page.

Convention program

Saturday

Session, Time, Speaker and Topic

1 09:00–09:45 Debra Panizzon—Engaging Students in Science Education: A role for all in ‘stemming the tide’

2 09:45–10:30 Kylie Sturgess—On Sex, Smarts and Where The SkepGrrls At: An Investigation into Gender Differences and Belief In Weird Things

Morning Tea 10:30–11:00

3 11:00-11:45 Margaret Kittson—Brain Gym: A Cautionary Tale

4 11:45–12:30 Mike McRae—Thinking for Sale: Creating a Critical Culture

Lunch, 12:30–13:30

5 13:30–14:15 Rob Morrison and Deane Hutton—Earth, Air, Fire and Water: The elements of Energy

6 14:15–15:00 Richard Saunders—Mystery Investigators

Afternoon Tea, 15:00–15:30

7 15:30–16:55 Flock of Dodos—DVD

8 16:55–17:00 Flock of Dodos—Summation

Sunday

9 10:00–11:30 Ian Plimer and Barry Brook—Climate Change Debate

10 11:30–11:50 Break (20 min) Committee prepares questions submitted by audience

11:50–12:30 Questions

Lunch, 12:30–13:30

11 13:30–14:15 Nigel Dobson-Keeffe—Rational Irrationality: The retreat of reason?

12 14:15–15:00 Glen Smith—We are all human: Perception

Afternoon Tea, 15:00–15:30

13 15:30–16:15 Loretta Marron—Jelly Beans and other drugs

Dinner

Entertainment for the evening will be by Nicholas Tweedy, and the menu is:

• Soup: Roasted Butternut Pumpkin with a hint of nutmeg and sour chervil cream, served with olive bread
• Main: Either Grilled Chicken Breast with roasted pumpkin and sage, creamed leeks and Swiss mushroom ragout
• or Rosemary baked lamb rack with roasted Chat potatoes, green beans, red wine and seeded mustard jus
• Dessert: White chocolate and dark chocolate mousse torte with raspberry syrup and double cream
• Coffee, tea and our own housemade chocolates

Vegetarian options will be available.

Pre-dinner drinks will be available from the bar in Pod 3 area from 7:30 pm. Dinner will commence at 8:00 pm. The Wine Discovery Journey, which includes displays and an interactive computer hologram display, taking you through the stages of winemaking from growing the grapes to the winemaking process, will be open until 8:00 pm for those who would like to tour the Wine Centre

For more information on the Wine Centre, download the Visitor Guide (420KB PDF).

Accomodation

In the following list we have attempted to include a selection of suitable hotel/motel accommodation, ranging from the lowest cost, through to a medium level. However, this information is provided only as a general guide, since rates will vary according to time of year, vacancies, etc. You should contact the individual venues yourself and confirm rates, cancellation fees and any other charges for the period covering the conference, before making any bookings.

Best deal

Flinders Lodge Motel
at : 27 Dequetteville Terrace Kent Town, (08) 8332 8222, 1800 882 562, Fax (08) 8332 8590
We recommend this location as it is the closest motel to the Norwood Town Hall, (located 1.5 kilometres from the Hall). We have arranged a special rate of $90 per night, for single or double occupancy, (continental breakfast extra, $10.00 or $15.00 for a cooked breakfast, per head). If using this offer, please mention you are attending the Skeptics conference and ask for their special booking rate. This is a full service motel will all facilities: three star.

The next closest motel to the convention venue is the Royal Coach Motor Inn, next door.

Royal Coach Motor Inn
24 Dequetteville Terrace Kent Town, phone (08) 8362 5676
They will provide a room at a cost of $145.00 per night, single, double or twin share. When booking mention Skeptics’ booking rate. Along with the Flinders Lodge Motel, this motel is the closest to the Norwood Town Hall. Five star.

Kent Town is the suburb adjacent to Norwood and these two motels are located one and a half kilometres from the Norwood Town Hall.

Adelaide City Park Motel
471 Pulteney Street Adelaide, phone (08) 8223 1444 or 1800 231 444
Lower priced accommodation but quite adequate
$88 double without a bathroom or $110 double with bathroom, extra person $15 per night; $130 double with balcony. No parking available; television, tea and coffee making, iron, microwave.

Motel Adjacent Casino
25 Bank Street Adelaide, phone (08) 8231 8881
$90 single $100 double, per night. Motel room accommodation, in the heart of the city, across the road from the Casino. Rather old and drab but adequate. No parking.

Country Comfort
208 South Terrace Adelaide, phone (08) 8223 2800 or 1300 650 464
Full service motel with rooms from $110 per couple per day. Located 1 kilometre from city centre on the South Parklands with full facilities: three star.

Hotel 208
208 South Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000 Phone (08) 8223 2800, 1300 650 464, Fax (08) 8224 0519
$135 per night for two people per room, bed and breakfast subject to availability to 30th June only. Central to the city and overlooking the beautiful southern parklands, Free parking, facilities include guest pool, guest laundry, restaurant, bar, and clean comfortable rooms: three star.

Rockford Adelaide
164 Hindley Street Adelaide, phone (08) 8211 8255, 1800 606 562, Fax (08) 8231 1179
$140 standard double, $180 business double. TV/DVD with free movies, dataport, minibar, hair dryer, iron. Located 5 minutes walk from the business centre of town and the casino. Free parking. Four star.

Holiday Inn
65 Hindley Street Adelaide, (08) 82231 5552, Fax 82237 3800, <gm@holidayinnadelaide.com.au>
Room only, for two people $145–$250 per day. Close to the centre of Adelaide, casino, Rundle Mall with full facilities. Four star.

Chifley on South Terrace
226 South Terrace Adelaide, phone (08) 8223 4355, 1300 650 464, Fax (08) 8232 5997
$150–$240 room only for two people. Located 1 kilometre from city centre on the south parklands with full facilities: four star.

Majestic Roof Garden Hotel
55 Frome Road Adelaide, (08) 8100 4493, Fax (08) 8100 4471
Deluxe King Room $198, including full buffet breakfast for two. When booking please quote Special Skeptics Conference rate. Located in the heart of Adelaide, just off Rundle Street East, features an on-site restaurant, 24 hour reception, gymnasium, business centre and tour desk: four star.

Franklin Central Apartments
36 Franklin Street Adelaide, (08) 8221 7050, 1300 662 288, Fax (08) 8210 6333, <sales@franklinapartments.com.au>
Self contained apartments, $155–$285 per apartment, daily rate, basic apartment accommodates two persons, fully self-contained. Non-smoking property. Four star.

Other hotels are listed in accommodation guides provided by local motoring groups, or on the Web.

Travel

Anyone wishing to book travel arrangements can either make their own arrangements or else use the facilities of Oliver Travel, 194A Hutt Street Adelaide 5000. Please contact Jeanette Spry at Oliver Travel by phone (08) 8232 0111, fax (08) 8232 0255, or <oliver.travel@adelaide.on.net>.

Public transport

Routes 122, 123 and 125 run west-east along Currie and Grenfell Street and Bartels Road Adelaide, and along Flinders Street Kent Town to The Parade, Norwood.

Bus stops #2 and #3 are located respectively 50m west and 100m east of the Flinders Lodge Motel, while bus stop #9 is located in front of the Norwood Mall and the Town Hall.

Parking

There are two parking stations adjacent to the Norwood Town Hall. The council operated parking station is located between Harris Street and Webbe Street. These two streets are one-way and run parallel to the Parade (Harris Street east to west and Webbe Street west to east). Parking times are:
Ground Level (undercover) two hours parking
Upper Level 1: Free all day parking
Top Level: First two hours free, 2–3 hours $1.00, 3–4 hours $2.00, maximum cost for four hours or more: $4.00
Access to upper parking levels off Webbe Street only

There is a parking station on the north-eastern corner of The Parade and George Street, however there is no free parking available in this station.

Wheelchair access

Direct access to the Concert Hall is available for wheelchairs by taking the lift to Level 2. Front row seats will be reserved for handicapped persons and their partners. (Please advise when booking.)

Registration

The registration form is a PDF with live form fields that can be completed on-screen, then emailed or printed and posted. Download it now.

Location

The Norwood Town Hall is at 175 The Parade Norwood, on the north-west corner of George Street.

The Parade is a major shopping area with a large selection of coffee bars, restaurants, book-shops and dress and clothing stores nearby. The Town Hall is adjacent to the Norwood Mall, a large shopping complex which has a bakery, café, and a large supermarket. There is lift access from the top level of the parking station to the Mall (see Parking).

Entry to the Concert Hall is off George Street. The Concert Hall is located on the first floor, with access by stairs or lift (take lift to first level).