FurcoNZ 2010

What is "FurcoNZ"?

FurcoNZ is the annual campout/gathering of the New Zealand furry community, for all things that are "furry" (or, the appreciation of anthropomorphic arts and crafts), that is typically held at the end of Spring/start of Summer each year (the last week of November for the previous 2 years).
Unlike most other furry conventions/gatherings that are held overseas, us Kiwis like to keep things simple and informal. Also, we like to enjoy the clean, green New Zealand outdoors and a lot of activities and events reflect this fact. For FurcoNZ 2009 we arranged and offered activities such as archery, abseiling, kayaking and hiking for our participants.
Depending on attendence and interest, this year (2010) we will hope to offer some new activities (such as the high ropes course) in addition to old favourites.
For the less outdoor keen types, we also have an A/V room setup with multiple consoles and a projector for media viewing, indoor activities such as boardgaming sessions, so there is something for everyone to enjoy while at FurcoNZ.
Please visit the gallery for photos from our past events and to get an idea of what goes on during FurcoNZ.

Where is FurcoNZ being held this year (2010)?

This year FurcoNZ will be held at Kokako Lodge, located at the foothills of the Hunua Ranges. The full address of the lodge/site is:
235 Falls Road, Hunua, R.D.3, Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand
It is roughly:
50km from downtown Auckland
40km from Auckland International Airport
100km from Hamilton

When will it be held?

For FurcoNZ 2010, the official dates are:
Friday 10th December 2010 until Monday 13th December 2010.
Please note that the previous group booked at the lodge/site won't clear out until mid/late afternoon on Friday, and we have been advised not to head in until early evening time.
The opening ceremony/welcoming is currently scheduled after dinner is served (approximately 8:00pm) on Friday. This will also give the opportunity for those who will be working that day some time to prepare and head in and avoid the evening rush-hour traffic.
We will also have to do a site clean-up and checkout before 12:00pm noon on Monday, thus it would be much appreciated if everyone are packed and ready to go by 11am that morning.

How much does it cost?

The final cost for full registration for FurcoNZ 2010 is yet to be determined, however we expect that it will cost about the same as for FurcoNZ 2009, and at this stage estimated to be around NZ$85.00 (regular early registration - until 1st November 2010) for the entire weekend.
Remember, FurcoNZ is a fully catered event, the registration cost will cover:
- Accomodation at Kokako Lodge for the weekend: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
- Fully catered meals during your stay: dinner for Friday night; breakfast, lunch and dinner for Saturday and Sunday; breakfast for Monday (8 main meals).

When can I register for FurcoNZ 2010?

At this stage we aim to launch registration for this year around middle of June, 2010.

What happens if I change my mind, or if due to unforeseen circumstances I can't attend in short notice (i.e. cancellation policy)?

Our official policy is this: your registration is fully refundable until early registration ends (approximately 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the event), which for this year will be until 1st November 2010.
Once past that date it will be non-refundable. Therefore, any registration after that date is also non-refundable.
In short, supplies needs to be arranged and bills needs to get paid ahead of time for FurcoNZ to happen, plain and simple.
However, we are somewhat flexible under extraordinary circumstances so, talk to us first and discuss, and see what we can do.

I am not planning to stay for the whole duration of the event (i.e. arriving 1 day later or leaving 1 night earlier), do I still pay the same price?

Our arrangement with the lodge/site means that there is a minimum cost involved to book the lodge, and it is much easier to arrange and account for logistics/supplies if the number of people remains the same throughout the event.
If you are only attending the event for 1 day/night, we'll offer a discounted registration cost (to be determined for this year). You'll need to contact us after you've completed the registration form to inform us so we'll take that into account.

Can someone else or can I pay for someone else's registration?

Absolutely, as long as we get paid in the end, we do not care how you pay for your registration.

I cannot pay in one go, can I make multiple payments/pay in instalments?

While we appreciate it if you can make a simple one-off payment at the time of registration to make for less confusion (and potentially saving arguments later on), we can work with you if you cannot afford the cost in one go. Just contact us after you've filled in the registration form and we'll work something out.
Please note that if you cannot complete payment by the early registration cut-off date (1st November 2010 for this year), you'll need to pay a higher registration fee (to be determined). Also, the cancellation policy applies and if you should cancel your registration after that date your payment up to that point will be non-refundable.

Why does it cost more to pay for my registration using any other methods (apart from direct bank deposit/transfer) such as PayPal and cheques?

Our bank account is with Kiwibank, and they're great in that there are no bank fees/charges for any direct deposits done via online (internet banking), or over the counter (at any Postshop/Kiwibank branch).
PayPal charges a 2-5% fee on any incoming payments depending on the source (e.g. Credit Cards) and there's also a small administration charge associated with transferring the amount to our bank account. With incoming cheques, we have to manually process and head over to the local branch to process the payment, taking up our time. Therefore, while we welcome payments via these methods, we have added on a NZ$5.00 administrative surcharge on top of the registration fee.

Who can attend FurcoNZ?

Anyone can attend FurcoNZ, not just people who're involved in the furry fandom, as long as they abide by the rules (Terms/Conditions and Code of Conduct) and fully pay up for this event.

Is there an age limit for FurcoNZ?

Due to the laws and regulations with the activities and events that will be held at FurcoNZ and the liabilities to the organizers, you must be 18 years of age or older one day before the start of FurcoNZ 2010 (9th December 2010) in order to complete the registration form and attend.
For FurcoNZ 2010, we will be implementing a general R16 age restriction, unless prior arrangments have been made with FurcoNZ staff. More information about this new policy will be explained in detail when registration commences.
We reserve the right to perform an ID check on any participants during FurcoNZ. Valid forms of photo ID include: passport, driver's license and 18+ card.
If you are over 16 but under 18 years of age one day before the start of FurcoNZ 2010, a consent form MUST BE completed and we will follow up with contacting your parents and/or legal guardian to confirm (usually via a phone call).
A copy of the Terms/Conditions and Code of Conduct for FurcoNZ 2009 (which will be updated for FurcoNZ 2010 when registration commences) can be downloaded here (in Adobe Acrobat format)
A sample copy of the consent form (this was for FurcoNZ 2009, an updated version for 2010 will be avaliable when registration commences) can be downloaded here (in Adobe Acrobat format)
If you have any questions regarding the age limit/restrictions for FurcoNZ 2010 please don't hesitate to contact us.

Is there a capacity limit for this year?

For FurcoNZ 2010, we will be limiting full registrations (those that are staying at the site) to 70 people, as it is a limit that Kokako Lodge can comfortabally accomodate without over-crowding the cabins.
For 2009, we had 58 attendees with 47 being full registrations staying at the lodge for the weekend.
However, we welcome anyone to register for a "Day Pass" (those that won't be staying at the site during the weekend) and at this stage there is no set limit for "Day Pass"es.

So this is a fully catered event, what are included with our meals?

We'll feed you delicious food whipped up by our kitchen team, and as already mentioned, the cost of your registration includes fully catered meals during your stay, mainly:
Dinner for Friday night
Breakfast, lunch and dinner for Saturday and Sunday
Breakfast for Monday morning
We aim to have at least the following for our meals:
Breakfast: Bread and toasts, with a variety of cereals and fresh fruit, and hopefully a fully cooked hot breakfast (budget pending)
Lunch: Sandwiches and filled rolls with fresh fruit and baked goods (cakes, cookies, muffins etc.)
Dinner: Hopefully a good variety between pasta bakes, or chunky sauces/curries on pasta/rice, roasts with vegetables, along with dessert.
Ultimately the quality of the food will depend on what our budget is like, how much donation we'll get and the number of people that have registered.
We'll make sure that everyone is accounted for and there'll be something to suit everyone, even vegeterians.
We'll not be stocking and serving any snack foods (chips, popcorns, sweets, chocolates etc.) or soft/fizzy/energy drinks so feel free to bring some with you if those cravings needs to be satisfied.
Please see the below for our policy on the consumption of alcohol.

What is the policy on alcohol, smoking, and "other things"?

The lodge/site allows the consumption of alcohol, and promotes responsible drinking. However by law we are not allowed to sell any alcohol during the event, so this will be strictly B.Y.O. (Bring Your Own) and R18 only.
There is no smoking inside the lodge/cabin area, and please use your common sense when smoking outside. Make sure the cigarette/cigar is fully extinguished and disposed of properly.
We have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy towards any illegal activities/substance classed and listed under New Zealand law. We will make this point clear at the start of the event and you will have also agreed to our rules/code of conduct during your registration process. You will be asked to leave the lodge/site immediately and we reserve the right to contact the appropriate authorities should you ignore this rule. In short, do not let us catch you doing anything that is illegal, period.

Why should I donate if the registration fee already covers everything?

While the registration fee accounts for the basic accommodation and meals, it does not account for any other optional extras that other conventions and meets generally provide. In short, with your donation we can help make FurcoNZ even more awesome by increasing the quality of the food/catering, providing more and better equipment (such as a better audio system, gaming equipment etc.) and other goodies that we can play around with.
Also, with your support we can keep FurcoNZ running year after year as any amount left over from the previous year's planning can be put towards future events.

What are the contact details for the organizers/staff of FurcoNZ?

You can contact us via the following means:
For any general enquiries: info (at) furconz.org.nz
Our official phone number (text messages also works): +64 22 FURCONZ (+64 22 3872669, or 022 3872669)
For any mails/our postal address:
FurcoNZ
P.O.Box 128314
Remerua
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
1541