Mercon Australia operates on the principles of SAFETY FIRST.
As an attendee, you are responsible for your own safety and actions. This includes engaging in any necessary training (e.g. freediving certificates) prior to the event.
Participation in any activity is at your own risk.
Know your personal limits when engaging in any activity, in or out of the water.
Attendees must bring/wear their passes during all non-swimming activities. Failure to do so may result in being denied entry to certain venues. We recommend also carrying your identification (such as Passport, Proof of Age or Driver's License), as it may be required in some circumstances. Passes are non-refundable and not for re-sale.
Any attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult (e.g. parent or carer) at all times.
By law, smoking is not permitted inside public and function areas.
Mercon Australia reserves the right to refuse entry to/or eject from the event any attendee acting in a dangerous manner, or in a manner that may cause harm to themselves or others.
Bullying and harassment will not be tolerated, please see our anti-harassment policy below.
If you have an enquiry or complaint, please contact us at [email protected]
In case of an emergency, please follow official directives.
Safety Guidelines
Please take care to observe these safety guidelines for all water-related activities:
Research the beaches beforehand – check online, speak to a local, ask a lifeguard, check the weather and wave forecast. If you arrive at the beach and the water is rough, use your best judgement in accordance with your ability.
Please remember to know and stand by your limitations and fitness strengths before challenging yourself.
To make sure you are safest when swimming at the beach:
If there are red and yellow flags and swim between them.
Look at, understand and obey the safety signs.
Ask a lifeguard or lifesaver for advice before you enter the water.
Get a friend to swim with you.
If possible, stick your hand up, stay calm, and call for help if you get into trouble.
You should also conserve your energy by floating on your back and staying calm if you are in trouble. This will ensure you have the energy to remain afloat until assistance arrives.
Rip currents (sometimes called a 'rip') are strong currents beginning around the shore that run away from the beach. Being caught in one may feel like you are in a flowing/moving river. Not all rip currents flow directly out to sea. Some may run parallel to the beach before ultimately heading out to sea.
If you find yourself in a rip current, follow these steps:
Do not panic.
Raise an arm and call out for help, you may be rescued.
Float with the current, it may return you to a shallow sandbank.
Get hold of a float if possible.
Swim parallel to the beach or towards the breaking waves until you escape the rip current
If you are under 18 and are being accompanied by a parent or guardian, or if you require the assistance of a carer in order to swim safely, this person must accompany you AT ALL TIMES when you are in the water.
Anti-Harrasment Policy
Mercon is and always should be a safe, welcoming and friendly environment for everyone involved. As such, harassment of attendees in any form will not be tolerated under any circumstance. Mercon attendees violating these rules may be warned or removed from the convention, without refund, at the discretion of the Mercon team.
Harassment can include but is not limited to:
Verbal comments or statements considered or construed as offensive,
Following or stalking,
Inappropriate or non-consensual physical contact,
Unwelcome sexual attention.
Attendees spoken to in regards to their behaviour by Mercon staff may:
Be given a warning to cease their behaviour,
Be told to leave the venue/area,
Have their pass revoked without the right to refund.
If the behaviour in question violates state law, police will be called.
Sponsors, vendors or others in similar roles are also subject to this policy.
If during the event you have been or are being harassed, or you have seen someone that has been or is being harassed, please speak to a Mercon staff member immediately.
This policy was developed by the Cosplay Sentinels Project and used with permission. To find out more visit facebook.com/cosplaysentinels/
Social Media Guidelines
Mercon Australia relies on social media to connect and engage with our members. Please remember that as an attendee of Mercon Australia and/or member of our extended community, your online activity regarding Mercon is reflective of Mercon and its members as a community. Maintaining Mercon Australia's reputation as a fun, safe and welcoming environment for all Merfolk is your responsibility too!
Please remember that Mercon Australia also has a responsibility to our sponsors and venue hosts to maintain a positive relationship that benefits all parties.
The two platforms used by Mercon Australia are Facebook and Instagram. Please be wary of anyone contacting you from any other platform claiming to be Mercon Australia.
Our official email address is[email protected]. The official hashtags for posting Mercon-related content are #MerconAustralia and #MerconAustralia2019, or tag our instagram at @merconaustralia.
For all posts involving photos from Mercon, we recommend that you also read the Photography guidelines below. We encourage you to upload all your photos or links to the Mercon Australia 2019 Attendees Closed group on Facebook.
Please also keep in mind these rules when using Mercon-related social media, but these extend general Internet use too:
The web is not anonymous. You should assume that anything you post can be traced back to you, and that the internet is a “permanent record” of your online behaviour and interactions.
The boundaries between a person's personal online persona and their business/professional persona are not always clear. That's why it's important to make a clear distinction between what you say or do in a personal capacity, and what you say or do in a professional capacity. You should also remember that some attendees are brand ambassadors or represent businesses themselves. If you're not sure who to tag in a photo, please check with the person using a private message or email.
DON'T impersonate or falsely represent Mercon Australia, its team, members or any other person.
DON'T abuse, harass or threaten any other member or person.
DON'T infringe upon anyone else's privacy—do not post contact information that a person may not want made public.
DON'T make libellous or defamatory claims. If you have an issue that needs to be addressed, please message the involved parties privately. Mercon Australia expects that any claims made about one of our team, members, sponsors or venue hosts are substantiated before they can be acted upon.
PLEASE use common sense when posting content that is potentially controversial – you may not have an issue with certain content, but others may. It should go without saying that Racism, Sexism, Ableism, Homophobia, Transphobia and similarly unacceptable content is not allowed.
PLEASE be kind when another member is asking for help or constructive criticism. Our goal is to lift each other up, not tear others down.
Again, Mercon aims to be a fun, safe and friendly environment and this extends to our social media presence!
Photography Guidelines
A highlight of Mercon is the amazing photos that emerge over the course of the weekend! However to ensure these photos are obtained and used correctly and respectfully, please read these guidelines:
Everyone attending the event has signed the photography release form upon registration indicating that they have given their consent to be photographed and have those images shared on social media.
It is encouraged that when sharing photographs, credit is given to the photographer, the model and Mercon Australia. Photos being used for promotional purposes must contain credit of collaboration. When giving credit, if possible, it is most respectful to link or tag their relevant social-media handle, not just their name.
Be considerate when sharing, especially if the photo could be deemed unflattering to the model. If you are unsure, simply ask for additional permission. We recommend you upload photos you have taken of other people to the private Facebook group before sharing them publicly.
Choose your moments wisely. Although it is great to have every moment frozen in time, some are possibly not ideal. (For example, candid shots of people getting into tails, getting changed, eating etc- some of those who Mermaid as a career may not want to ruin the transformation illusion for their younger followers. If you are unsure post the photos on the Mercon Australia 2019 Attendees Closed group first before putting them on a public profile.)
Photos are not to be sold. Magical moments captured at Mercon should be considered TFP, with the exception of any photos taken as part of Mercon's Photography packages.
Have fun, take photos but don’t forget to enjoy the moment too!
Our photographers are here as our guests, so please treat them with respect. This includes not monopolising their time or treating them as your own personal photographer. Please ask politely when requesting photos.
Our photographers also reserve the right to refuse service for any reason.
If you have any questions pertaining to the Mercon Code of Conduct, please email [email protected]