The Australian Expo 2016: Geneabloggers and Sore Feet!

It’s been a few weeks since Unlock the Past’s Australian History & Genealogy Expo, so I apologise for the lateness of this, but I’ve been playing catch up ever since.

Anyway back on October the 7th and 8th, I was involved with Unlock the Past’s Australian Expo. This was South Australia’s first major genealogy event for a number of years, and it was the biggest genealogy event in Australia for 2016.

As part of the organising committee it meant I was up at crazy hours all week getting things ready, not to mention getting to the venue by 6am on Friday morning ready to start setting up.

Held in the sports centre at Immanuel College, Novar Gardens, it was a good venue – not too far from the city, not too far from the beach, and quite a lot of parking onsite … and Adelaide even put on awesome weather just for the event (unlike the torrential downpours it had in the weeks leading up to it).

As I was there as an exhibitor (on the Gould Genealogy/Unlock the Past stand) it meant that I didn’t get to go to any of the talks which is a shame as there were a heap of fabulous talks … and from reports from those who did go, found them awesome! But that’s the life of an exhibitor. Instead myself and co-workers were kept busy super on our stand.

So as I can’t report on the the various talks, or event other exhibitors as unfortunately I barely saw them, I shall tell you about the geneabloggers.

I did manage a 5 minute break at Saturday lunchtime, and we got as many of the geneabloggers there as we could for a group photo. Nine made it, and four didn’t unfortunately (five if you count Alan Phillips, who blogs for Unlock the Past, but still doesn’t count himself as a blogger), but it was a nice bunch of bloggers there. It was awesome to have our blogger beads and ribbons – which was a new thing for some. And I must send a huge thankyou to Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers who supplied us with official “Geneablogger” ribbons.

Anyway I’ve put links to each blogger’s site below, so you can go check their site’s out for yourself, and I know some of them have already reported on the Expo so have a read. Everyone experiences different things, so it’s really interesting to read them all.

Branches of Time (Tiphanee)
Diary of an Australian Genealogist (Shauna)
From Helen V Smith’s Keyboard (Helen)
GenieJen (Jenni)
Genxalogy (Jane)
German Family Matters (Eric)
Kylie’s Genes (Kylie)
Lilian’s Tree (Lilian)
Lonetester HQ (Alona, me!)
Lyn’s Genealogy (Lyn) – new site coming soon
Pear Tree Cottage (Lee-Anne)
Thorntree Genealogy (Lyndal)
TravelGenee (Fran)

The Expo wrapped up around 4.00pm on Saturday, and I needed to sit!! Having been on my feet for the greater part of two days they were killing me. However it wasn’t over yet, as there was packup to do … so after a couple more hours or packing up we were done! And on Sunday … I did NOTHING!!! After so much preparation in the weeks leading up it to, I needed to do nothing, and simply just veg.

Anyway from reports back from the 700+ people who attended, plus the 100+ exhibitors … overall it went well, the speakers were great, the exhibitors have given positive feedback too. So in general terms its a thumbs-up. And while (with my organising hat on),  there’s certainly things we’d do different if we ever get to doing one again, but overall it was a worthwhile experience for so many, including so many who travelled from interstate or overseas.

So the Expo came, and the Expo went, there was lots of learning, there was catchups with friends who don’t see each other often, there was new discoveries made there as well.

And one last mention … I must say that I was SOO excited to meet 14 year old Georgia who came to the event with her mum, and was most likely the youngest researcher there. She’s already hooked on genealogy and her mum was buying her Christmas presents, and she described our Gould Genealogy stand as a “candy store”. That’s how I feel working there, so I’m glad to know I’m not the only one.

Back with my organiser hat on … and BIG, BIG thankyou to everyone who made it happen: the speakers, the exhibitors, the volunteers, the school, the food and coffee vans (trust me everyone was thankful for them) … everyone played their part … not forgetting those who came … it certainly wouldn’t have been the same without you!

And for a heap more Expo photos, please head on over to Unlock the Past’s Flickr album.

2 Responses to “The Australian Expo 2016: Geneabloggers and Sore Feet!”

1. Genie Jen says:

   October 31, 2016 at 8:05 pm

   All the work that the UTP family put in was so worthwhile. Thanks so much
   Yay! For seeing young people there too.

   Reply
2. Jill Ball says:

   November 2, 2016 at 6:53 pm

   I do hope that there’s another Expo around the corner that I can attend.

   Reply