# Melbourne Reptile Expo Cancelled



## JEMMI (Jan 13, 2008)

I am sad to be told that the Melbourne Reptile Expo will not go ahead on February 23rd at the Melb Showgrounds.

There just wasn't enough stall holders.

I was really looking forward to this event after missing many of these expos due to being stuck at home looking after my human babies.

I was going to sell bulk roaches there and chemical free cleaners and dog shampoos and had booked and paid for a stall.


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## DragonKeeper (Jan 13, 2008)

Damn, that sucks... I really wanted to go...


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## scorps (Jan 13, 2008)

thatd suck


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## herpie boy (Jan 13, 2008)

this better be a joke..........................and a bad one at that


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## DragonKeeper (Jan 13, 2008)

herpie boy said:


> this better be a joke..........................and a bad one at that



Indeed, I hope so, my brother (and sister in-law I think) took a few days off of work for this...


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## the new guy (Jan 13, 2008)

This smells like a bad gag. I'm not going due to other work commitments but to all those who are this tread is not cool for a sunday afternoon. This would make mondayitis even worse.


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## Magpie (Jan 13, 2008)

http://www.vhs.com.au/pages/Expo.html


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## moose (Jan 13, 2008)

Damn, I had organised to Fly down from Qld for this one......

Moose


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## Ramsayi (Jan 13, 2008)

It is DEFINATELY cancelled although the bit about lack of stallholders may not be correct.


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## itbites (Jan 13, 2008)

na that can't be true because there would have been some sort of announcement made by now plus melbourne love their reptiles and the last expo i went to was packed


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## herptrader (Jan 13, 2008)

Note that while the expo may be tentative there is no way that Maxwell's presentation at the VHS meeting on Sunday February 24th will be canceled.

If you have made travel plans don't cancel them all just yet!


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## falconboy (Jan 13, 2008)

It surprises me its cancelled. There must be another reason, I can't see there not being enough interest from stallholders....


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## Ramsayi (Jan 13, 2008)

I give up :lol:


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## Jozz (Jan 13, 2008)

herptrader said:


> Note that while the expo may be tentative there is no way that Maxwell's presentation at the VHS meeting on Sunday February 24th will still be going ahead. If you have made travel plans don't cancel them all just yet!


 
Do you mean that it definately WILL be going ahead???


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## moose (Jan 13, 2008)

Yes Some definate Clarification would be good. 

I have already booked and paid for flights and Accom for this event.


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## herptrader (Jan 13, 2008)

Jozz said:


> Do you mean that it definately WILL be going ahead???



Yes that is exactly what I meant.

I have edited and corrected my original post to correct the situation.


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## herptrader (Jan 13, 2008)

moose said:


> Yes Some definate Clarification would be good.
> 
> I have already booked and paid for flights and Accom for this event.



I am sure they will update it on the VHS site shortly.


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## trader (Jan 13, 2008)

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*VHS Meeting early afternoon*[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Sunday February 24th, 2008*[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Monash University - Clayton Campus*[/FONT]
*[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Wellington Road. Clayton. Vic[/FONT]*
*[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Central 1 theatre - building 63[/FONT]*
Introductory speaker: Steve Wilson[SIZE=+1] co-author of _'The Complete Guide To Reptiles of Australia'_ and author of _'The Reptiles of Queensland'_[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]will present "Reptiles of Cape York Peninsula" [/SIZE]

[SIZE=+1][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=+2]Special guest speaker: [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=+1][SIZE=+2]Presented by: Greg Maxwell[/SIZE] author of _'The More Complete Chondro'_[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=+1][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]will present "Green Tree Python Husbandry" and "Green Tree Python Color Morphs"[/FONT][/SIZE]
[/SIZE]


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## James_Scott (Jan 13, 2008)

Can anybody come to the VHS meeting at Monash Uni? I have been inspired by Steve Wilson's Photography for years, and would like to meet him in person.


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## herpie boy (Jan 13, 2008)

yeah mate anyone can come. its free for members and $5 for non members,


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## herptrader (Jan 13, 2008)

*Here is what the VHS have to say:*

This is the official VHS Press Release:



> The VHS Committee regretfully announces the cancellation of the 2008 National Reptile Expo. It is with great disappointment that this decision has had to be taken. The reasons behind the decision are many and varied ranging from insufficient support to the inexperience of the Committee in staging such events. We wish to extend our thanks and apologies to the sponsors and vendors that did provide their support. To you we say, this is not the end of expositions in Victoria and from this experience a lot of lessons have been learned which will stand us in much better stead to stage events in the future.
> 
> The meeting on Sunday 24th February will go ahead as planned, with internationally renowned author and Chondropython, (Morelia viridis or Green Tree Python), breeder Greg Maxwell as guest speaker. This is a meeting not to be missed as Greg is world famous for his work with this species. Greg’s Talk will be complimented with one from Steve Wilson who is also a renowned author and vastly experienced in the reptiles of Cape York which will be the subject for his talk.
> 
> ...


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## Magpie (Jan 13, 2008)

That's crap, I have my flights paid for and everything  
And no, I'm not coming all that way just for a "VHS" meeting.


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## DragonKeeper (Jan 13, 2008)

I don't mean to overreact, but this is complete bull and very dissapointing for such a "professional" group to act so poorly.

Many people have paid good money, plain tickets and accomadation costs a lot of money, and a lot of people have already organized and paid for that.

Once again this is very dissapointing and disgraceful, I am just glad that I was coming in a car, so I haven't bought tickets or anything.

But there are some people who do not have much money and have booked and paid for plane tickets and accomadation and taken time off work meaning less money, that is now worthless.


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## JasonL (Jan 13, 2008)

Magpie said:


> That's crap, I have my flights paid for and everything
> And no, I'm not coming all that way just for a "VHS" meeting.



That it is, I hope they don't expect a big turn out if they try it next year.


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## Magpie (Jan 13, 2008)

africancichlidau said:


> Magpie, I don't think you can call this one JUST a "VHS" meeting. It is a special event in it's own right.


 

Hmmm, $400 in flights, $300 minimum in accomodation, plus food, taxi's etc. I'd be looking at $1000+ just to hear a talk on GTP's?


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## Miss B (Jan 13, 2008)

Well that sucks.


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## W.T.BUY (Jan 13, 2008)

phew i was about to buy some plain tickets im very lucky you guys stooped me. It would totally suck if you allready bought tickets and hopefully you will get a refund.


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## markars (Jan 13, 2008)

what a crap excuse and piss poor thing to do to people. most flights are non refundable these days and you cannot even change them. I am now down 400 bucks in lost flights and will lose my accomodation deposit. Once again ,poor poor form to the idiots responsible.


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## pythonhappy (Jan 13, 2008)

talk it up for a better admission the fact we paying over $1000 in cost sucks i have gone to 2 sydney conferences with no problems enjoyed them big time now i going for a talk from a man i seen talk in qld before and can prob see at any time and your telling me it prob going to be a higher cost involved and i gave up the sydney trip this year for prob a crowded room of everyone trying to listen and talk to the same person gee ta 
hope the shopping district lives up to its reputation has taken the shine of a trip to melb now how long has the club known a week earlier to b advised would of been nice compensation like free entry in for inconveinence would be thoughtfull but hey lets pay the fare of the speaker and the club that failed to perform that what its all about not us the dedicated people that want to learn and experience different event big time rip


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## PhilK (Jan 13, 2008)

pythonhappy - longest sentence I have ever seen, nice one!

Glad I didn't buy a ticket to go!!!


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## herpie boy (Jan 13, 2008)

hell i would be pisd if i was from interstate.............stoked im only 10mins away


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## Doctor08 (Jan 13, 2008)

mmmmm interesting


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## davidfbarnes (Jan 13, 2008)

DragonKeeper said:


> I don't mean to overreact, but this is complete bull and very dissapointing for such a "professional" group to act so poorly.
> 
> Many people have paid good money, plain tickets and accomadation costs a lot of money, and a lot of people have already organized and paid for that.
> 
> ...



Since when is a volunteer run organisation a "professional group"? Perhaps you can think about what you are saying before you speak your mind.

I am sure that this was a very hard decision for those involved, and everyone at the VHS would have put in a lot of hard time up until this point, not to mention time away from family etc etc.

Get behind the Herp groups in this country and maybe the hobby will grow towards a common goal. The bickering and bitching that goes on is a disgrace, as is the one up manship that constantly arises.

A lot of people need to sit back and look at the entire picture before commenting.

We are all disappointed, but it seems circumstances do not permit at this time.


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## Whisper2 (Jan 13, 2008)

shame, had organised to come down. 
from what i hear though greg will be a great speaker so will make the trip anyway.
agreed its a shame but as has been said, this is all run by normal people not event managers.
hope it works out next year, will give them a bit of time to plan it out! lol
: )


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## Oldbeard (Jan 13, 2008)

Well I booked tickets as well but I am still going and I will still have a great time. There are plenty of things to do in Melbourne. Will prob go to the zoo instead of the expo. It is only one day to fill in. Very unfortunate for a lot of people and the herping community in general. Expos are a great way to promote our reptiles and the industry.


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## slip_phreak (Jan 13, 2008)

lucky i saw this as i was just about to start booking my flights and accom... its a shame but im sure they have their reasons for cancelling the show. Better luck next time i guess.


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## DragonKeeper (Jan 13, 2008)

davidfbarnes said:


> Since when is a volunteer run organisation a "professional group"? Perhaps you can think about what you are saying before you speak your mind.



Well they obviously thought they were professional and capable enough of organizing this event, guess they proved themselves wrong hey...


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## markars (Jan 13, 2008)

it may be dissapointing for the club- poor poor club, why advertise and promote an event and encourage people to come from all over the place when you cannot pull it off?
If the reason was solely lack of interst for the expo then there would be no complaint, but when the reason is incompetence of the organisers- it leaves a lot to be desired, i am sure the previous expos returned a handy profit for those involved, may be they could have invested it in some professional help when they first started having problems with the organisation. there are plenty of event contractors and consultants that could have helped, Usually the venue has their own organisers that can assist in helping you pull it off as it is in the venues own interest for the event to go ahead.


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## itbites (Jan 13, 2008)

awwwww what a bummer!!! was really looking forward to going.....i wonder why they had so many dramas?! it doesn't make sence because so many people were backing them. Very strange indeed


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## westernrocky (Jan 13, 2008)

*no herp show*

l notice davidfbarnes who is calling for calm lives in vic [no expenses so far well good on you we,ve also spent a lot of money as we have already paid for our airfares and accommodation you are talking from high ground buddy we are pissed off to the max as well so don,t go preaching your morals to me buddy...WR


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## moosenoose (Jan 13, 2008)

I vote for a BBQ at Herpies joint :lol: (jokes Herpie 8)) ...but I do vote for a BBQ at someones place  Not mine, my missus hates all you reptile lovin' freaks with a passion! hehehe Let's hope us Vics can show some of the interstate travellers some hospitality in amongst this debacle. 

I'm disappointed about it being off also. I was looking forward to it after it was a "no-go" last year.


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## jan (Jan 14, 2008)

Bugger


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## Packages (Jan 14, 2008)

This is outrageous and heads should roll! If i were on the commitee i know that at the very least, i would ensure there was at least a 'mini-expo' so that all who had made arrangements didn't miss out completely. I would work my guts out to ensure it happened *at all costs*... just throwing your arms up in the air and saying 'not this year' a few weeks before it is scheduled is simply pathetic and that goose who had Raymond Hoser as a guest speaker at the last meeting must go now if he hasn't already... what a disgrace!


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## jan (Jan 14, 2008)

yep


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## Wild~Touch (Jan 14, 2008)

Unbeleivable ... I had planned to go to Victoria, lucky for me I was just too busy to book the flight, but a good few of my friends had already booked.
The loss to us Queenslanders is: Air fares,acccommodation, time off work, letting people down that were taking care of our animals while we were away and loss of faith in the event organisers.


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## scam7278 (Jan 14, 2008)

its a shame this has happened  its not good that people have lost money but sometime things can happen that cant he helped.i was also looking forward to going but now i just look forward to the mac herps and IRS shows


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## CodeRed (Jan 14, 2008)

well there goes the bus trip


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## Hsut77 (Jan 14, 2008)

To be a Stall holder, or Vendor click here. Please get in quick as places are strictly limited and filling up fast. 

Hmmmmm?????


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## Chimera (Jan 14, 2008)

As an interstate member of the VHS I am REALLY disappointed that I have not received an email about this cancellation. I am also really glad that I hadn't booked flights yet.


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## Retic (Jan 14, 2008)

It is obviously very disappointing for those who have booked flights, accomodation etc but the problem is these events are a new thing in this country and I think the organisers underestimate what is involved. 
I don't think there is any need to be calling those involved idiots to be honest.


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## Morelia_Hunter (Jan 14, 2008)

lets just remember that there could be higher forces involved like the DSE. Its not easy keeping the big boys happy always.


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## herptrader (Jan 14, 2008)

Morelia_Hunter said:


> lets just remember that there could be higher forces involved like the DSE. Its not easy keeping the big boys happy always.



I think there was probably a multitude of factors that conspired to have them call it off. Lets hope that much has been learned such that if/when they schedule another expo it goes off without a hitch.

I for one would much rather it be called off at a month's notice than have it go ahead and be a flop which would really screw everybody around.

For those of you who have already made travel plans Greg Maxwell and Steve Wilson's presentations at the VHS meeting on the Sunday February 24, I am sure will not dissapoint! This meeting promises to be even bigger and better than the Dave Barker a little over a decade ago. That meeting was something else. It was on a hot Saturday night with hundreds of herpers from all over the country packing the venue.

Lets organise something worthwhile for the Saturday. With Maxwell and Wilson in town we might even be able to get them to come along as well. I will start a separate thread to discuss our options (as I don't think the negative vibe from the expo cancellation should taint what will most likely be one of the most exciting herp events this year!)


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## scam7278 (Jan 14, 2008)

good point morelia hunter


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## Wild~Touch (Jan 14, 2008)

It looks like vhs hasnt done their homework before promoting such an event....

There's bucketfuls of info available on event organizing so that is no excuse for letting Australia down


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## Morelia_Hunter (Jan 14, 2008)

Remember that Australias laws are difficult to bend when it comes to even just keeping wildlife. Also remember that you can not force people to have stalls at these events, especially if they dont want to pay. It would be pointless to have an expo when there are just a handful of vendors, you might as well go to a petshop then. Trust me its not just as traight forward as organising a normal expo, when animals are involved it gets very technical. Another point is that this expo is organised by a non profit organisation whereas the sydney wild expo was a privately organised event. Nobody is getting rich out of an expo like this and if vendors expect free tables then the society has to carry the cost. This in my opinion is totally unacceptable.


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## herptrader (Jan 14, 2008)

herptrader said:


> Lets organise something worthwhile for the Saturday. With Maxwell and Wilson in town we might even be able to get them to come along as well. I will start a separate thread to discuss our options (as I don't think the negative vibe from the expo cancellation should taint what will most likely be one of the most exciting herp events this year!)



As promised here is the thread about plan B:

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...eekend-lets-make-plans-for-the-saturday-72803


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## Esmeralda (Jan 14, 2008)

wow i'm so dissapponted but i am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I'm new to this whole thing and was lookin forward to the expo, i'm sorry that so many people lost money. This VHS thin sounds pretty cool is there a site i can go to, to find out times, costs ect???


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## Packages (Jan 14, 2008)

Morelia_Hunter, i disagree entirely. People have made plans, booked flights, annual leave & accommodation. To call it off completely is ridiculous and it is the easy way out no matter what hurdles the VHS are facing. The committee are, IMO obliged to, at the very least, do what herptrader is attempting to do now, and that is organize at least 'something' for the people. Even if it is just hiring out a hall and having at few stalls plus some live shows and talks etc, it is better than nothing. A flyer could be handed out to all patrons as they enter explaining the difficulties that were encountered and apologizing for the smaller than expected expo. I think people would be grateful just seeing the efforts the committee had gone to just to do something for those who had already made plans and thrown their support behind this event. I just can't believe they've given up and have no intention of doing anything other than throw their hands up in the air!


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## Ryan93 (Jan 14, 2008)

James_Scott said:


> Can anybody come to the VHS meeting at Monash Uni? I have been inspired by Steve Wilson's Photography for years, and would like to meet him in person.


 

Hello im an new to all of victoria but where is monash uni nd is there 1 held there


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## LJ77 (Jan 14, 2008)

Packages said:


> Morelia_Hunter, i disagree entirely. People have made plans, booked flights, annual leave & accommodation. To call it off completely is ridiculous and it is the easy way out no matter what hurdles the VHS are facing. The committee are, IMO obliged to, at the very least, do what herptrader is attempting to do now, and that is organize at least 'something' for the people. Even if it is just hiring out a hall and having at few stalls plus some live shows and talks etc, it is better than nothing. A flyer could be handed out to all patrons as they enter explaining the difficulties that were encountered and apologizing for the smaller than expected expo. I think people would be grateful just seeing the efforts the committee had gone to just to do something for those who had already made plans and thrown their support behind this event. I just can't believe they've given up and have no intention of doing anything other than throw their hands up in the air!



Couldn't agree more


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## Miss B (Jan 14, 2008)

Packages said:


> Morelia_Hunter, i disagree entirely. People have made plans, booked flights, annual leave & accommodation. To call it off completely is ridiculous and it is the easy way out no matter what hurdles the VHS are facing. The committee are, IMO obliged to, at the very least, do what herptrader is attempting to do now, and that is organize at least 'something' for the people. Even if it is just hiring out a hall and having at few stalls plus some live shows and talks etc, it is better than nothing. A flyer could be handed out to all patrons as they enter explaining the difficulties that were encountered and apologizing for the smaller than expected expo. I think people would be grateful just seeing the efforts the committee had gone to just to do something for those who had already made plans and thrown their support behind this event. I just can't believe they've given up and have no intention of doing anything other than throw their hands up in the air!


 
+1, especially considering there are quite a few people who may be out hundreds of dollars after having booked and organised everything. I was hoping to go this year, but I'm glad I hadn't booked anything yet in the way of flights, accommodation, annual leave etc - as I'd be absolutely spitting chips right now. So I can fully understand why some people are a bit peeved at the moment.


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## Fester (Jan 14, 2008)

I was considering coming across and , like other comments here, glad I did not book flights etc. The trouble I see for any future event is now people, especially interstate people, will be very wary. I feel it will impact on any future attendance numbers and this is a shame.


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## Morelia_Hunter (Jan 14, 2008)

Well I dont know why they are not trying to do something smaller too??? Have not heard anything from the commitee. I can only understand the issues with the department and some of the issues that were involved when i was involved with the previous expo. I have no idea why they cancelled. But there would be a good reason.


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## peterjohnson64 (Jan 14, 2008)

Last year it took Mac Herps more than 3 months to get a reply back from NPWS. In the end, we only received permission 4 weeks before the event. If our answer was "No" from them we would have been in the exact same position - cancelling 4 weeks before the event. Of course, you have the opportunity to appeal through the AAT but that will incur a lot more expense.

Personally, I feel that a full explanation needs to be provided to the punters. I am sure that there are perfectly legitimate reasons for cancelling so hopefully the committee will be open about it. It will also help future organisers to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again.

I sympathise with the committe as I know how much personal time it takes and you never receive the amount of help that you are promised. I also sympathise with every person that has layed down their cash on their holidays. Its just a sad situation.


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## dazza74 (Jan 14, 2008)

that sucks my kids were looking forward to going especially my son


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## Tsidasa (Jan 14, 2008)

GAH @#[email protected]^$%$&$%&^%^$%& this makes me so insanely sad =(
what am i supposed to do about my flights!!!!!!!


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## Oldbeard (Jan 14, 2008)

The Vic Herp Society are becoming very unpopular.
Maybe VHS stands for something else LOL



Venereal Herpes Society, a lot of people are upset over the cancellation, sounds like the committee are goner 'ere :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Sdaji (Jan 14, 2008)

No doubt the VHS committee members are keeping a very close eye on this thread...

There are obviously some nasty issues which have caused the cancellation of the expo, people will point fingers, make accusations, probably threats, etc etc, and that's all inevitable now, but something the committee now has a serious obligation to do is notify people, and if they don't, it's going to lead to even more ill will from the herp community than they've already drawn to themselves. It's bad enough to cancel the expo, but there has been no email out, no attempt at widely publicising the cancellation, and if you check the VHS website, the expo is still being promoted, with claims that spaces for vendors are rapidly filling and if you want a space you need to get in quickly! The promotional material needs to be removed _immediately_. Not everyone checks APS frequently, and there will still be a lot of people planning to come down for the expo. Some people may still be booking flights and organising time off work. Hundreds of people have had their plans messed around and countless thousands of dollars have been lost between those people, the VHS really needs to act ASAP to prevent further damage and to give the people who have already made plans the opportunity to change them with as much time to spare as possible.

I have had basically nothing to do with the VHS after washing my hands of them in 2005, and I'm not in contact with the current committee members (in fact, I'm not even sure of who all the current committee members are), so I'm sorry for having to put my thoughts publicly in order to get them to you. It has been quite painful to see the VHS going so far downhill after I spent so many years involved with it, including a few years on the committee. Within a couple of months of me leaving the committee, all of the old timers left and the society was taken over by a new group. I politely suggest that they have bitten off far more than they can chew, and should either consider letting the VHS go back into hibernation, or seek the assistance of people with the necessary know-how, perhaps including some of the people who were running things when it was going well a few years ago.

During my years on the committee I learned that in that position, you will always work hard and be hated for what you do, even if you are doing a brilliant job (this is particularly true of the president) and if you stuff up just a tiny bit (which if you are human is inevitable), you are going to have a lot of people hating you. It's a hard, mostly thankless job, and unless you're unethically pushing your politics or illegally taking money (which sadly, has happened on more than one occasion), the only reward is the satisfaction of helping the reptile community. If you stuff up a lot, things are really not going to be fun for anyone.


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## rexs1 (Jan 14, 2008)

Well said Sdaji


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## LizardLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Hey all!
I too am out of pocket with this issue...
But, I hasten to add, we're not the only ones... Who exactly was paying for Greg Maxwell's flights etc from USA???
Yes, Sdaji's quite correct in the VHS are still promoting the event...
Sdaji is also correct in that they NEED to put up a cancellation notice NOW before any more people become out of pocket (and therefore, cross, to say the least) - quietly growling, can you tell?
I have emailed Kevin (one of the organisers), so will let people know what (or WHEN) I hear anything...
Best to all,
Carolyn


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## herptrader (Jan 14, 2008)

LizardLady said:


> Hey all!
> I too am out of pocket with this issue...
> But, I hasten to add, we're not the only ones... Who exactly was paying for Greg Maxwell's flights etc from USA???
> Yes, Sdaji's quite correct in the VHS are still promoting the event...
> ...



The sponsors of Maxwell and Wilson's flights and other expenses are ... as listed on the herp trader web site:

*[SIZE=+1]Greg Maxwell's visit is proudly sponsored by donations to the VHS by the following businesses and individuals: [/SIZE]*​ 


 Snake Ranch​ Herp Trader​ ​ mike swan herpbooks, Pails for scales, Rep-cal Australia, Habistat Australia ​ The McCarthy's
Note that each of the sponsors, including the Herp Trader, has contributed roughly the same amount each.

The Maxwell visit was always a separate thing, and being organised by a separate team, to the Expo but obviously was timed to coincide.


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## Fester (Jan 14, 2008)

Morelia_Hunter said:


> lets just remember that there could be higher forces involved like the DSE. Its not easy keeping the big boys happy always.


 
Quote from their press release:

"It will also be one of the few Expos held in Australia where permission *has been*
*granted* by the relevant Government Authority for wildlife sales and purchases to​be made on the day"


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## Chimera (Jan 14, 2008)

Sdaji said:


> No doubt the VHS committee members are keeping a very close eye on this thread...
> 
> There are obviously some nasty issues which have caused the cancellation of the expo, people will point fingers, make accusations, probably threats, etc etc, and that's all inevitable now, but something the committee now has a serious obligation to do is notify people, and if they don't, it's going to lead to even more ill will from the herp community than they've already drawn to themselves. It's bad enough to cancel the expo, but there has been no email out, no attempt at widely publicising the cancellation, and if you check the VHS website, the expo is still being promoted, with claims that spaces for vendors are rapidly filling and if you want a space you need to get in quickly! The promotional material needs to be removed _immediately_. Not everyone checks APS frequently, and there will still be a lot of people planning to come down for the expo. Some people may still be booking flights and organising time off work. Hundreds of people have had their plans messed around and countless thousands of dollars have been lost between those people, the VHS really needs to act ASAP to prevent further damage and to give the people who have already made plans the opportunity to change them with as much time to spare as possible.
> 
> ...



Yep, now they've updated the website but still no mailout to members. Online forums are all well and good but the info should have been disseminated to VHS members as soon as the decision was made.

The second rate handling of this along with the ridiculous over-abundance of Ray Hoser 'papers' in monitor magazine really makes me question whether I will be renewing my membership. Prior to joining the VHS I ordered quite a few back issues of Monitor and was very impressed with the quality, now that they've taken to publishing any old garbage I am left wondering what value I get out of my membership fees.


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## jan (Jan 14, 2008)

hmm...Raymond Hoser possibly the New President of the VHS....hmm


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## jan (Jan 14, 2008)

thats what l've heard on the "grapevine"


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## Chimera (Jan 15, 2008)

Can anyone authenticate this? Is he the new president???


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## Morelia_Hunter (Jan 15, 2008)

No, dont be silly. Thats just nonsense.


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## LJ77 (Jan 15, 2008)

Lets hope it's nonsense.


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## Hsut77 (Jan 15, 2008)

Dang, bugger, arggghhhhh! I

was hoping to pick up girlfriends for my Blonde Spotted, MD and Bredli from the expo. At least I am in Vic, sorry to all of you who have spent your hard earned on Plane Tickets and accommodation.


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## Jozz (Jan 15, 2008)

Some people have friends coming over from America for the Expo :shock::shock::shock:


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## stockeh (Jan 15, 2008)

Is this venue related at all guys, if so I may be able to help out

Take care
Matt
www.animalattraction.com.au


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## LizardLady (Jan 15, 2008)

Hey Herptrader!
I sincerely apologise for stepping on your toes about the Greg Maxwell thing.
I was wrong. I was just running on emotion at the time and didn't read ALL the posts on this topic.
Please forgive me!
Best,
Carolyn


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## herptrader (Jan 15, 2008)

stockeh said:


> Is this venue related at all guys, if so I may be able to help out
> 
> Take care
> Matt
> www.animalattraction.com.au



Nothing to do with the venue. The show grounds was pretty much ideal.


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## herptrader (Jan 15, 2008)

LizardLady said:


> Hey Herptrader!
> I sincerely apologise for stepping on your toes about the Greg Maxwell thing.
> I was wrong. I was just running on emotion at the time and didn't read ALL the posts on this topic.
> Please forgive me!
> ...



No worries - It gave me a good opportunity to spruik his visit and the VHS meeting he will be presenting at.

In case anybody missed it all are welcome and here are the details:



> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=+2]*[SIZE=+3]VHS Meeting early afternoon
> [/SIZE]*[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=+2]*[SIZE=+3] Sunday February 24th, 2008[/SIZE]*[/SIZE][/FONT]
> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]*Monash University - Clayton Campus
> Wellington Road. Clayton. Vic
> ...



Note we are still trying to organise some more informal activities for the Saturday. See this link for details:
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...eekend-lets-make-plans-for-the-saturday-72803


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## LJ77 (Jan 15, 2008)

is there any set time for the meeting on sunday


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## herptrader (Jan 15, 2008)

LJ77 said:


> is there any set time for the meeting on sunday



It is not locked in stone yet which is why it has not yet been posted.

The time I heard suggested was 12:30 but don't quote me on that.


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## krusty (Jan 15, 2008)

that sucks so bad,so it looks like sunday will have to do...not happy but i haven't lost any money on it like a lot of others and i can see why they would be upset.


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## sengir (Jan 17, 2008)

Can anyone tell me roughly how many people as in visitors not store holders attended the Expo last year? 
It owuld be greatly appreciated.


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## Oldbeard (Jan 17, 2008)

So when is the "best photo of hatchie" competion in Reptile Australia magazine going to be drawn. It was supposed to be drawn at the expo??


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## JJS. (Jan 17, 2008)

Very very disappointed. I feel so sorry for people who organised to travel from interstate. Must have been very unorganised to have to be cancelled.


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## Tsidasa (Jan 17, 2008)

All is not lost =D I'm going to melbs for 2 days then off to the gold coast with Wrasse!!!!!!!!! YAY =D
Gonna catch up with R and Fluffy and Trousa and Smelly
yay =D
Horsy said i can pat her horses too.
YAY
yay for random happy post =)
YAY


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## herptrader (Jan 17, 2008)

There might be some light at the end of the tunnel of this thread is anything to go by:

http://www.reptilesaustralia.com.au/forums/index.php?topic=1429.msg10941#new


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## Tsidasa (Jan 17, 2008)

and 2 days in melbs with austherps and morgan and kealey and PUNJA and HAPPY my croc of immensity!!!


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## bigi (Jan 17, 2008)

i am dissapointed.
this was going to be a special day out for me and maybe a chance to talk to many of you on the day.
i was looking forward to this for some time.
Lets hope something simular can be organised soon


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## MrBredli (Jan 17, 2008)

That's great news, it's a shame that the VHS didn't feel obliged to do something themselves though, it should never have been left for others to sort something out. 

Mr Bredli tips his hat to herptrader and Simon Watharow.


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## mungus (Jan 17, 2008)

So, MrBredli, your Back !!!!'
Good to see................


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## Tsidasa (Jan 17, 2008)

YAY YAY YAY etc =)


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## MrBredli (Jan 17, 2008)

mungus said:


> So, MrBredli, your Back !!!!'
> Good to see................


 
I was never gone, if you knew where to look.  :lol:


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## herptrader (Jan 18, 2008)

For anybody who missed it the Expo is back on and should be better than originally proposed due to "new management".

Here is the link:

http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/general-herps/victorian-reptile-expo-resurected-73222


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## Colin (Jan 18, 2008)

Ramsayi said:


> I give up :lol:




:lol: they just don't believe the truth on here mate. 

And yes its definitely cancelled - go look at the VHS website http://www.vhs.com.au/pages/Intro.html



> The VHS Committee regretfully announces the cancellation of the 2008 National Reptile Expo. It is with great disappointment that this decision has had to be taken. The reasons behind the decision are many and varied ranging from insufficient support to the inexperience of the Committee in staging such events. We wish to extend our thanks and apologies to the sponsors and vendors that did provide their support. To you we say, this is not the end of expositions in Victoria and from this experience a lot of lessons have been learned which will stand us in much better stead to stage events in the future.


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## Miss B (Jan 18, 2008)

LOL.

It's not cancelled.


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## Tsidasa (Jan 18, 2008)

haha erm...whatever


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## Colin (Jan 18, 2008)

Miss B said:


> LOL.
> 
> It's not cancelled.




well why does the VHS who were trying to run this thing have the above on their website?? 
I would think they would have some update on it if anyone has.. 


but on second thougts It doesn't surprise me at all :lol:


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## herptrader (Jan 18, 2008)

If you read the posts on the thread I just posted you will see that the VHS web site will not be updated until later today.

The Melbourne Expo is definitely on!



Colin said:


> :lol: they just don't believe the truth on here mate.
> 
> And yes its definitely cancelled - go look at the VHS website http://www.vhs.com.au/pages/Intro.html


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## Miss B (Jan 18, 2008)

Colin said:


> well why does the VHS who were trying to run this thing have the above on their website??
> I would think they would have some update on it if anyone has..


 
Ummm there's been threads, updates and announcements all over APS for the past three days :lol:


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## Colin (Jan 18, 2008)

Miss B said:


> Ummm there's been threads, updates and announcements all over APS for the past three days :lol:



ok but they escaped my notice. I was never interested in going to it anyway :lol:


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## Tsidasa (Jan 18, 2008)

well now i'm really upset, i've just bought more flights and stuff because they cancelled it, spent 300 more and now it's back on, geesus could they get their act together. this is so not funny. i guess i wont be going anyway now but what a debacle. I'm still happy to be going to the gold coast. The expo can kiss my butt.


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## trader (Jan 18, 2008)

Tsidasa said:


> well now i'm really upset, i've just bought more flights and stuff because they cancelled it, spent 300 more and now it's back on, geesus could they get their act together. this is so not funny. i guess i wont be going anyway now but what a debacle. I'm still happy to be going to the gold coast. The expo can kiss my butt.


 
I can understand your deep frustration, as I am sure there are a few others in a similar predicament. 

"geesus could they get their act together."  'Someone did get their act together, as the announcement says: "*New Expo Co-ordinators* Simon Wartharow and Brian Barnett". I personally feel it will be a great expo, thanx to their expertise and their willingness to be involved. A pat on the back for the pair of them!!


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## Tsidasa (Jan 18, 2008)

Yeah well i'm not going now, and neither are quite a few others...


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## jan (Jan 18, 2008)

good one dah colin


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## krusty (Jan 18, 2008)

all i can say is great work BRIAN and SIMON.


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## LizardLady (Jan 18, 2008)

Yep Krusy! I'm with you on that score!
Simon and Brian deserve MORE than just kudos here, let's give them all the support we can muster (and then some!).
They've done a power of work to get this back up and running - all for the love of the industry!
Well done boys!
Best,
Carolyn


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## jan (Jan 18, 2008)

Colin nice private messages you sent me...not!!
Too chicken to recieve any back....your such a CHILD!!


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## herptrader (Jan 18, 2008)

It seems the VHS web site has now been updated with the current details!



Colin said:


> :lol: they just don't believe the truth on here mate.
> 
> And yes its definitely cancelled - go look at the VHS website http://www.vhs.com.au/pages/Intro.html


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## bigboof12 (Jan 23, 2008)

glad to hear the expo is back on, can any body tell me if i will be able to purchase tickets at the gate, or will i have to buy them before hand, i have just gotten into reptiles and this would be a huge leg up for me!
(please PM me with info)


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## herptrader (Jan 23, 2008)

bigboof12 said:


> glad to hear the expo is back on, can any body tell me if i will be able to purchase tickets at the gate, or will i have to buy them before hand, i have just gotten into reptiles and this would be a huge leg up for me!
> (please PM me with info)




Tickets can be purchased at the gate.

I am updating the VHS web site over the next few evenings with all the fine print details like this, maps, times, parking options etc. etc.

(Note that I have taken on the role of VHS web master to help them out until the Expo and Greg Maxwell and Steven Wilson special meeting the next day.)


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## Mangles (Jan 23, 2008)

Herptrader,

If you could also include directions on how to get there from the City etc, for interstaters like me that are coming down for the expo.

thanks.


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## herptrader (Jan 23, 2008)

Mangles said:


> Herptrader,
> 
> If you could also include directions on how to get there from the City etc, for interstaters like me that are coming down for the expo.
> 
> thanks.




I am intending to do this for both the Expo and the special VHS meeting on the Sunday.

(By car they are both easy to get to from city or thereabouts.)


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## meshe1969 (Jan 23, 2008)

If you are using public transport, there is a journey planner on the connex site. If you enter your starting point and your destination (Melbourne show grounds) it will show you what trains, buses or trams you will need to catch and there numbers.

http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/index.php


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## Bianca_B (Jan 23, 2008)

Good news! According to the herptrader its going ahead again!!!! Thats brilliant! So now I can get the bluey mom won't let me have! lol


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## herptrader (Jan 23, 2008)

*I have added links the to the VHS web site with details of how to get to both the Expo and the Greg Maxwell / Steve Wilson special VHS meeting the the next day:

visit: http://vhs.com.au for details*​


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## kirstys (Jan 23, 2008)

i am in mill park vic if any one is looking to car pool or coming from interstate and needs a lift in pls email me


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