One of the big pluses for me attending a genealogy conference is that I get to catch up with my genimates.

Australia is a big country, and we don’t have many ‘national’ (big genie events), so therefore we don’t see each other often. But Congress brought people from interstate, and even some from overseas as well, and it was great to catch up with them all, and meet some others as well. Some who I’ve known through social media, and others I know of by name.

As I was an exhibitor at Congress and didn’t get to any of the talks, I can’t write any report on those for you… but based on what the other geneabloggers have written they were awesome. GeniAus (Jill Ball) is collating a list of all Congress related blog posts, and you can check them out here.

So for me when I wasn’t at my stand, I was off chatting to other exhibitors and asking them if they’d be kind enough to sign my autograph book (yes, I did take it with me), and also catching others for a quick pic when they were nearby. So my post here is simply pics of some of the genimates that I caught up with there.

afternoon tea with by good friends and roommates, Judy Russell and Helen Smith, combined with a view from the 35th floor … what a way to start my trip in Sydney

dinner with friends

L-R: Ruth Standring, Sharn White and Shelley Crawford

myself with Lilian Magill, with the collection of teddy bears behind

geneablogger friends L-R: Fran Kitto, Jenny Joyce, myself and Jennie Fairs

I was excited to meet Eden and Simon from Traces Magazine

it’s always wonderful to catch up with my wonderful friends Lee-Anne and Rob Hamilton

young Aussie genies and geneabloggers: Tania and Shelley

myself with Thom Reed from FamilySearch. Ok I’m short, but he is TALL too

the whole FamiilySearch team at Congress 2018

genimates Pauleen Cass and Jill Ball

I finally met the one and only, lovely Danielle from SAG

this is my GeniAus and Lonetester photo

more young genies and bloggers: Angela and Caitlin

a quick selfie with fellow geneablogger Alex Daw

I managed to grab Paul Milner long enough for a pic

a quick selfie with two Aussie geneabloggers: Ruth Standring and Emily Peace

it was fabulous to finally meet Tara, one half of the “Family Discovery Show” team

the always lovely Lisa Louise Cooke

Eric and Rosemary Kopittke

the official geneablogger group photo at Congress 2018 (with a few known to be missing)

So Congress came, and Congress went. It was a busy 4 days. It was a fun 4 days. And let’s hope that a group takes on Congress for 2021, and then we’ll see you all again in 3 years time.

Three long years after we were all in Canberra, and an even longer week this week (don’t ask, it’s a long story) … Congress (Australia’s big genealogy event) is finally here.

It’s no RootsTech by any means. But then again NOTHING is like RootsTech other than RootsTech. But Congress is THE BIG genie conference for Australia. It’s the event that brings people from all across the nation, and even across the ditch, together to, as Mr Lonetester says, “geek out on genealogy” for 4 whole days.

The conference began on Friday, so I arrived Thursday afternoon, which was timely as I was able to have a very lovely afternoon tea with my roommates (Helen Smith and Judy Russell), and then headed out to dinner with a bunch of others for a pre-Congress get together. It was great to catch up friends who I’ve not seen for ages, and make some new ones too. There was laughs, there was photos, and there was ribbons, beads and geniecards.

Judy G. Russell, Helen V. Smith and the afternoon tea view!!

some of the group that went out for dinner

myself, and Lilian Magill

Friday started early for me, as an exhibitor we had to get in early to set up! And even at that time of day (just on “light-o-clock”) the International Convention Centre (ICC) was packed. Was this a heap of eager genies? Well yes … but not that many. It turned out that there were a number of other events being held at the ICC on that day as well … an aromatherapy conference, a tattoo expo, an orthodontic conference and more. So yes, there were literally thousands of people around for a while, till all the events started.

Sydney’s International Convention Centre

the events on in the ICC on Friday

and even more ….

So after 2hrs of lugging boxes in, and setting up the our stand, the exhibition opened at 9am, and for a change we (the Gould Genealogy/Unlock the Past stand) were pretty much good to go.

our Gould Genealogy / Unlock the Past table is ready to go

Alan and Anthea are ready to go

Friday was “Family Finder Day” which meant that there was a bunch of day-only visitors. This was a great option for those who couldn’t attend for the whole for days, or who just wanted to see the exhibition. It also meant it was a busy,busy day for most exhibitors.

I can’t say anything about the Welcome address and function, or the talks from Friday as I didn’t go to any of them, but I guarantee other bloggers will write about it, so seek an eye out for their reports.

I’ve got plenty more photos from Congress so stay tuned for the next post.

The world’s biggest genealogy event, RootsTech, has just begun, but I’m not there. To say I’m missing it, and my friends is an understatement.

Why am I not there? Well I did go in 2017, and there is a lot of sea between Australia and the US, so it takes time to save dollars for those big plane trips … not to mention that Congress (the big Australian genealogy event, but not even in the same league as RootsTech), is on the next week in Sydney … and I’ll be going to that.

So I look at my Faceboook feed and see so many friends who are there enjoying the sights, sounds and catch-ups of it all. Sigh … next year! I will get there next year!

Anyway, so what makes RootsTech THE. MUST. ATTEND. genealogy event for so many from around the world?

For me it is the socialising. The breakfasts, the dinners, even lunch if you’re lucky enough to get some (yes, it gets that crazy). Even the drinks after the day has finished. It’s the time where you get to catch up with friends (and make new ones) from all around the world. It’s the time where you’re not racing from one talk to the next, or trying to make your way around the expo hall … but the times when you can just sit and chat to someone one-on-one or just a small group of people. I have made great friendships from meeting at RootsTech.

Don’t get me wrong, there are many, many awesome talks, and SO much to learn from the awesome speakers. And the Expo hall is something like you wouldn’t believe. It’s a place that seriously takes days to work your way around it all, it’s that big. But catching up with “my people”, my friends, my geniebuddies is what makes me want to be there.

“But I don’t like crowds” some people say. Well nor do I thanks to being the quiet little introvert that I am. And when you hear numbers like 30,000 people pre-registered for RootsTech it’s phenomenal, but no doubt off-putting for some. But there is so much happening simultaneously that you don’t see 30,000 in the same place all at once.

Still I would be there tomorrow if I could be. Crowds included.

the geneablogger group photo from RootsTech 2017

The place, the people, the talks, the speakers, the exhibitors, the competitions, and even the research at the nearby Family History Library … all of that make it an amazing trip!! One that should be on your bucket list.

The vibe you get from being there is like nothing I’ve ever experienced at other genie events, and I’m already counting down to RootsTech 2019, which will be from 27 February- 2 March 2019 if you want to mark it on your calendar.

But don’t take my word for it. Follow the #rootstech or #rootstech2018 hashtags on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or elsewhere … and see what those who are there are saying about it.

And while I know it’s a little too late for most to take part in RootsTech 2018 if you’re not already there, have a read of some of the reasons to attend … and keep it in mind for 2019 or 2020!!
8 Reasons to Attend RootsTech 2018
6 More Reasons to Attend RootsTech 2018

Ok, so who’s ready for Congress 2018?

– You’ve registered as a delegate
– booked your accommodation
– sorted our your travel to get there
– got your tree all up-to-date, and on appropriate devices (just in case you get time to research, or even better, find a ‘cousin’ there)
– you’ve got (and packed) your geniecards (I know you won’t forget those)
– and now you are eagerly counting down the days … (there’s 118 days for those who were wondering)

If you’ve done all of that, awesome! I love that you’re so organised, and so excited about it, but seriously you don’t need to read on, as this is really for those who haven’t booked and are still ‘thinking about it’.

Let me tell you that Congress is not “just an event”. Personally I would call it more of an experience. I have been to RootsTech in the US (the world’s biggest genie event), and that for sure is experience, not that Congress is on the same scale, but still.

There’s far more to it than just going to some talks. There’s the whole social aspect of it, either as organised ones or spontaneous catchups with a few people. Expect to meet a heap of new people, all who whole LOVE genealogy as much as you do. So trust me you’ll make a heap of new friends. And if you’ve been doing genealogy a while, you’ll catch up with others you’ve met before, or maybe just on social media. You can also check out what’s for sale from the bunch of vendors who will be there, and of course you’ll be learning from many of the world’s best speakers.

You will be on a high the whole time, and you’ll come away so enthused … totally ready and raring to get stuck into your research again.

Sounds good? It is. And what if I told you that you get FOUR WHOLE DAYS of it?

Don’t just take my word for it.

Check out the speakers here, here and here (yes, there are a LOT of speakers! So many wonderful speakers to learn from.)

And check out the program here. But just as a taster, there are talks on awesome apps that can use to help you with your search, 17th Century English sources. There also talks on German, Irish, Aboriginal, Australian research, Military, Freemasonry, DNA, ethics, digitising, organisation, blogging, writing, education records, archives and assisted emigration are also covered … and SO, MUCH. MORE!

And note the details: Friday 9-Monday 12 March 2018, International Convention Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Any once you’ve done that I’m sure you’ll be booking, so I look forward to seeing you in March next year!

www.congress2018.org.au

To keep up with Congress news you can check out their website and follow them on social media …
– the official Congress Facebook page
– the Genimates at #Congress_2018 Facebook group
– the 15th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry event on Facebook
– and on Twitter @Congress_2018

And one last note for the social media peeps here … the official hashtag for Congress is #Congress_2018.