On Romp Day
This is what you’ll be doing on Romp day, 19 October 2008:
10.00 am – 12.00 pm
Romp Start – You and your team of between 2-6 people arrive at Federation Square at the start time you selected when registering. You can start any time between 10am and midday.
Text and go! – When you get to Federation Square at your selected start time, you’ll go to a start desk and be asked to text a secret word to 0428ROMPER. You will then get a confirmation text telling you what your first compulsory checkpoint is. You’ll also be advised of your ‘Fab Four’ combination of checkpoints. If you go to all of your ‘Fab Four’ checkpoints (which are not compulsory) and get your questions correct at each point, you’ll go in the draw to win one of the major prizes! Once you’ve recieved your confirmation text you’ll be given your clue sheet from one of our friendly Romp Posse and you’ll be ready to Romp!
Romp passport – For all kids aged 12 and under. This passport will be stamped at each checkpoint location you visit. Prizes will be awarded at the concert for kids who happened to visit the specific checkpoints called out from the stage and can prove this by showing their passport at Federation Square.
10:00am – 4:00pm
Using your map and clue sheet – Your map of Melbourne will not show the exact location of Romp checkpoints, rather it will show grid lines. Your clue sheet will guide you to checkpoints in two ways:
- By giving you a clue as to the whereabouts of all Romp checkpoints. For example, if the Town Hall is a checkpoint location, the clue may be “Home to a Lord but not a Lady”
- By giving you the grid reference for the checkpoint location eg the Town Hall may be at J7 on the map. Even if you can’t solve the clue, you can use this grid reference to (hopefully) find the location.
Challenge no. 1 – Your first challenge is to find your first compulsory checkpoint.
Your tools – Using your feet, public transport, your clue sheet and your map you’ll make your way to your first checkpoint location. Don’t forget, it’s not a race, so no running!
The Checkpoint Challenge – You’ll know you’ve found a checkpoint location when you see a Romp desk with a bunch of Romp Posse volunteers in bright orange t-shirts. You must go to this point where an official will hand you a random Romp Checkpoint Challenge card. The challenge will involve using a mix of observation, team-work and brain-power.
If you can solve this challenge, you’ll be awarded Romp points. Our Mensa question setters have devised a very fair method of points allocation based on 3 levels:
- Difficulty of the actual Checkpoint Challenge – 1 being the easiest, 5 the hardest
- Estimated length of time it will take you and your team to find the location that the Checkpoint Challenge is asking about and to solve the Checkpoint Challenge
- Distance from Federation Square ie the further you travel from the start, the more you will be rewarded
This way, you’ll be rewarded for answering more difficult Checkpoint Challenges as well as being rewarded for the time it takes you to get there.
The team captain will be using their mobile phone to text answers to us (normal SMS charges apply), and we’ll text you back instantly telling you whether you were right or wrong, how many points you have so far and how long you have left in the Romp.
The Romp continues – After your first obligatory checkpoint, the route is up to you. Your team can decide which checkpoints interest you the most. The Romp does involve an element of luck, however a team that works well together and strategises their route is guaranteed to make the most of their Romp challenges.
Prizes, prizes, prizes – As well as the individual Trophies for each category, prizes will be awarded for the team with the highest overall score, the top 3 teams in each category, teams with the most creative team names, teams with the best team outfits as well as random prizes – so everyone is in with a chance of winning some of the $100,000 stash.
Party on down Federation Square from 2.00pm.
There will be a big live concert with 6 different acts playing on the stage at Federation Square from 2.00pm until 5.30pm. There'll also be interviews with celebrity Rompers as well as LOTS of random prize give-aways. All children under the age of 13 will receive a Romp passport, and this passport will give kids a chance to claim prizes at the finish.
Want to be part of the action?
