The Maryborough modeller said his father was always into cars and speed ways so he was brought up around impressive vehicles. Starting to model them was part of a natural progression.

Mr Taurnier shows off his car models, hoods open, at four car shows a year and hobby shows like the Ballarat Scale Model Exhibition at Eastwood Leisure Complex on Sunday.

The annual event, featuring a swap-and-sell, had about 20 stalls and is one of the largest donors in the region to Make-A-Wish Australia.

Modellers from across the state said their craft was about far more than toys. Complexity in kits could take you on a journey researching air craft, ships and tanks through history and this in turn could take you on different tangents.

Modellers of Ballarat committee member Gary Zimmer said you could spend as much or as little on kits as you liked, from plastic to elaborate wooden models, with each piece to be precisely painted and put in its place.

Mr Zimmer said, for the predominantly aged modelling demographic, it was also a hobby to promote fine motor skills and mental stimulation.

For fellow Ballarat member Mark Pilbeam modelling is telling a personal story. A Central African Airways he has crafted has tiny versions of himself and his brother boarding as they fled African nation now known as Malawi after his father, a pathologist, was exiled. 

Mr Pilbeam also had a Thunderbirds space station he built 30 years ago, from scratch, following his son's specific instructions and vehicles featured throughout the series.

"At that time, there were videos of the show, but no toys," Mr Pilbeam said. "...Modelling is (all-round) very good for you."

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