Swancon 4

The fourth Western Australian state science fiction convention, alternatively titled "WAYCON '79".

Dates: Friday 2nd to Monday 5th March, 1979 (Labour Day weekend)

The Convention

Guests

Leigh Edmonds

Leigh gets a write-up in the program book, which also says "Leigh will be accompanied on his trip to perth by Valma Brown." The acknowledgements section also thanks "Leigh Edmonds and Valma Brown for attending our convention", so it's not quite clear to what extent Valma was an "official" guest.

Venue

Ozone Hotel. This was near the causeway, where Woodside's building is now, near Ozone Reserve.

Committee

Beanbagman: Tony Pearcy (sic)

Publicity: Bob Ogden

Treasurer: Roy Ferguson

Venue Organizer: Damian Brennan

Program Organizer: Angela Donneley

Others: Sally Underwood [now Sally Beasley], Iaine Henderson, and John McDouall

Editoring (sic) the Program: Bevan Casey

Typing the program: Caroline Strong

Putting it all together: Bob Ogden

History

This was the first SwanCon to have onsite accommodation. This allowed for events after the end of formal scheduling.

Oral history & Reminiscences

This was the first swancon in a hotel, and the Ozone hotel was a pub - it did not have much in the way of accommodation, although there were some rooms. The front bar was right on Adelaide Terrace and it wasn't closed to the public while we were there, so Warren Hughes going through in his space suit caused quite a stir, as did Barb de la Hunty costumed as Eowyn. This was Barb's first con and she made quite a splash. This was probably where the Woodside Building is now. [Sally Beasley]

I remember Leigh Edmonds organising all the fans to do ornithopter exercises in the park - bobbing up and down, with arms extended to the side, flapping in time with the bobbing. [Sally Beasley]

I remember talking about poetry on a balcony at 3am in the morning. I think that was Peter Toluzzi (from Sydney). [Sally Beasley]

I think we showed a trailer for ?Star Wars? on Super 8, in one of the upstairs hotel corridors, after the program for the day had finished.[Sally Beasley]

External Links

These are mostly links to transcripts that have been done for the Australian Science Fiction Distributed Archive Project (ASFDAP) on its blog 'This!'

• WayCon '79 Program - Acknowledgements
• WayCon '79 Program - Back Cover
• WayCon '79 Program - Clubs - F.O.C.
• Report on WayCon '79 by Rob McGough - This is the link to Part 1A but it links to the following parts.
• All SwanCon 4 posts on ASFDAP blog