Easter Sunday Paint+Take

After the huge success of Paint+Take at GeekFest 2016, we have decided to run a special Painting Day as part of Coal Creek's Easter Sunday celebrations. The cost is $10, which entitles you to come along and have a go at painting fantasy figures. There will also be two classes on more advanced painting techniques (each with six places available). Classes are recommended for students over 10, Paint+Take is open to all ages and abilities. This time we'll be in the gallery in the main building instead of the school house.

1200-1600: Paint+Take

Try out the wildly popular hobby of miniature figure painting! It's simple. We provide paints, brushes and figures plus instruction sheets. You get to take home anything you paint.

1300-1400: Advanced Painting Lesson 1: Skin and Fur

Learn more advanced painting techniques such as washing, highlighting and colour mixing, concentrating on painting skin and fur. Limited to six places.

1500-1600: Advanced Painting Lesson 2: Armour and Cloth

Learn more advanced painting techniques such as washing, highlighting and colour mixing, concentrating on armour and cloth. Limited to six places.

1600-1630: Best Painted Contest

Anyone who takes part in Painting Day is eligible to enter their figures in our painting contest. To be included, you must fill out the entry list and your figure must be in the display area at 1600. Winners will be announced by 1630.
First Prize: Reaper Bones Fire Giant Warrior, Greater Chocolate
Second Prize: Reaper Bones Bugbear, Chocolate
Third Prize: Lesser Chocolate

Code of Conduct and Weapons Policy.

Coal Creek has just updated it's code of conduct to take into account cosplayers. You can find the complete code on the Coal Creek website.

The following restrictions apply to cosplay weapons:

 One Metre (1m) Length Restriction: All props and weapons cannot be over 1m in length inside Coal Creek Community Park and Museum. 

 No Actual firearms: These include bb/airsoft, modern, hunting or historic, either functioning or de-commissioned. 

 No Replica firearms: Anything that is designated a replica made from metal; solid resin/plastic/rubber is not to be brought onto expo grounds. 

 Toy/Prop Guns require Orange Tips: These are required to have orange safety tips at all times, however they can be removable for photography or competition purposes as long as they are re-attached when moving around the Park. They may not be made out of any prohibited material listed for replica weapons including metal. 

 No firing projectiles: Props or weapons capable of firing any projectile of any kind are prohibited. 

 No utilising of powder charge or flammable fuel: Props or weapons that utilise a powder charge are prohibited, including cap guns. So too are any items that contain flammable fuel (liquid or gas). 

 Nerf guns must be unloaded: Nerf guns, Nerf bows and other foam dart guns (including modified versions) are allowed, but must be unloaded – foam darts/projectiles are prohibited on expo grounds. 

 No functional bows/slingshots/crossbows: Real, functioning bows, slingshots and crossbows are not permitted on expo grounds. Non-functional prop versions are permitted provided they are not over the length limit, not made of metal and have no high-tensile stringing. Real arrows and other items used in bows or slingshots are also prohibited, however prop arrows are permitted provided they not made of prohibited material such as metal and carbon fibre, are securely attached to your costume and not loose at any time. 

 No Laser Pointers: If you have a laser pointer in your prop or weapon, make sure it cannot function (e.g. removing the batteries). If you are seen to be using a Laser Pointer anywhere within the expo, it will be confiscated and returned at the end of the event. 

 No Metal Weapons or Props: Due to the weight and the sharp edges involved with metal items, these are not permitted within Coal Creek. Items bought at Coal Creek which are metal must remain in packaging until you leave the site. This includes all Cast, Laser Cut and Forged props of any kind. Example prohibited materials: Steel, Aluminium, Bronze, Copper and Brass. Props included but are not limited to: Shields, Swords/Daggers/Knives and Poles/Rods. 

  No active martial arts weapons: Examples include nunchaku, throwing stars and any weapon made for actual martial arts combat. Prop versions are allowed as long as they are not made of metal or have sharp points or edges.

Paint+Take contest

Up for grabs: Fanticide Fae army!

Here at GeekFest we realise that walking around all day with a painted miniature from the Paint+Take room in your pocket is not practical. Which is why we're providing a display case for you to leave them while they dry. As an extra incentive to use the case, there'll also be a Paint+Take prize offered.
So long as your figure is still in the case by 1630, you are eligible. The winner will be announced then and showered with fantastic prizes from Eureka Miniatures. Just not literally. Cause, you know, that'd hurt.

FIRST PRIZE:
1 Magnificent hard-cover copy of the Fanticide rulebook with activation and event card deck.
1 Spectacular and awesome Fanticide starter army
1 Black and sinister Coal Creek laptop bag

SECOND PRIZE:
1 Spectacular and awesome Fanticide starter army
1 Black and sinister Coal Creek laptop bag

THIRD PRIZE

1 Magnificent hard-cover copy of the Fanticide rulebook with activation and event card deck.
1 Black and sinister Coal Creek laptop bag

Event Schedule finalised

The 2016 GeekFest event schedule has now been confirmed.
You can check it out on the events page.

Guest Speakers

Craig Fison

Craig Fison was a very popular speaker at our first Geekfest and we're excited that he'll be back for the second!
Craig has worked in Art Direction, Production Design, Construction, as a Props Model maker, a sculpting and miniatures maker and finisher, in Set Decorating, and as a Scenic painter in Australia and worldwide.
His film projects include working in the art department on commercial films like Moulin Rouge, Mission Impossible II, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, The ...Matrix Revolutions, Ghost Ship, Superman Returns, and more independent productions like Peter Pan and Where the Wild Things Are.
He worked as a sculptor and prop maker on Guillermo del Toro’s and Troy Nixey’s film, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, and also worked on the yet-to-be released The Moon and the Sun, starring Pierce Brosnan.
Craig moved into art direction as the Art Director on Adam Elliot’s awarding winning animated feature film, Mary and Max.

Shaun Freeman

Shaun Freeman, one of our Geekfest speakers, is an Australian animator who lives on a small farm in Korumburra. He has worked in the industry since 2003 on commercials, games and feature films (both vfx/creature anim and character animation). His movies include 'The Book of Life', 'I, Frankenstein', 'The Nut Job', 'Free Birds', 'After Earth', 'Ted', 'Happy Feet' & 'Happy Feet 2', 'Open Season' (2 & 3), 'Princess' and 'Everyone's Hero'. Short films include: 'Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem', Daffy's Rhapsody', 'Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas', 'Rabid Rider' and 'Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five'. Much of his work has been done here as a remote animator, although sometimes he is required onsite

Alison Goodman

Alison Goodman, author and steampunk aficionado, will be coming to Geekfest to do a reading from her latest novel and to teach us a Regency/Victorian 'finishing dance' - a fun dance to end a ball when everyone's had a bit too much to drink!
Alison is the author of EON and EONA, a New York Times Bestselling fantasy duology. Her latest novel --Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club-- is Book 1 in a new trilogy; it was published in Australia this month and will be published in the USA and UK in January. It has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly as "a delicious collision of Regency romance and dark fantasy". Alison calls it "Pride and Prejudice meets Buffy in English high society".
EON, which has recently been optioned to be made into a movie, was short-listed for Victorian, NSW, and WA Premier’s Literary awards, and won the 2008 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. It was also listed as an American Library Association Best Young Adult Book (2010), a James Tiptree Jr. Honour book, and a CBCA Notable Book.
Alison’s first novel, Singing the Dogstar Blues, won the 1998 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and was also listed as an American Library Association Best Book (2004) and CBCA Notable Book. Her second novel, a crime thriller titled Killing the Rabbit, was shortlisted for the 2007 Davitt Award.
Alison lives in Melbourne with her husband and their Machiavellian Jack Russell Terrier, and is currently working on Book 2 and 3 of The Lady Helen series.

James Graewolf

An introduction to Steampunk’, the pros of steampunk, the aesthetics and inspirations for steampunk, some ‘show and tell’ of some costumes and props, a couple of brief ‘do it yourself’ sections and finishing with a Q&A

Star Queens present the

Drag Queen makeup workshop

Want to experience the glitz and glamour of being a Drag Queen?
If so Come along and learn the secret tips and tricks to create your own drag persona!

Introduction to Cosplay

Cosplay is a hobby where fans dress up as their favorite character from a fandom (anime, manga, tv series, movie, etc) for fun. There are many competitions all around the world for cosplay and it is growing in popularity.

Alternate Worlds will be at GeekFest 2016!

Dealers in the finest in comics, collectibles, games, toys and drool-inducing merch, Alternate Worlds will have a stall at GeekFest 2016.

Paint+Take

Painting miniatures and figures is a popular and fast growing hobby, whether you use them for popular Wargames such as Warmachine, Bolt Action or Infinity, or such role-playing games as Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder or Savage Worlds, or you just like to display them proudly on a shelf, there is nothing which makes a miniature pop like a good paint job. Have you always wanted tot ry your hand at painting, but never had the confidence or been put off by the number of paints you need or the small size of the figures?
Fear not, this year's GeekFest will feature a Paint+Take!
Drop into the School House any time through out the day, pick a free miniatures from the wide range of Fantasy, Sci Fi and Steampunk offerings, and spend some time painting it with the brushes and paints provided! Best of all, you get to keep what you paint!

There will also be a display of painted miniatures, wargames terrain and sundry other geeky modelling artefacts.