The Otago Model Engineering Society’s Exhibition Weekend featured about 200 models, as well as miniature train rides, remote controlled boats and a 3-D printer.
Event co-organiser Gary Douglas has been a member of the society for 65 years.
In that time he had made 18 model boats, the most recent of which took 18 months to create and was finished late last year, he said.
He enjoyed it because it was a chance to be creative.
"You can’t sit down and read books and watch TV all day."
Model-making techniques had changed over the years, as 3-D printing made it quick and easy to create customised parts.
A printer was used to create two sailors aboard his boat, one of which moved his arm, appearing to steer the boat as it moved.
The best part of the day was having a lot of people come by, Mr Douglas said.
Ian Marsh has been part of the society for seven years, and said the event was the club’s main fundraiser.
Many hours of work went into each piece and club members were "big kids" who liked to show off their toys, he said.
He was exhibiting model submarines, which he planned to improve in the future by making them fire miniature torpedoes.
Emmerson Morgan said she was having a great time on Saturday, attending the exhibition with son Kees Davidson.
"My son loves trains, and the weather looked nice, so I thought it would be a fun thing to do," she said.
He had enjoyed seeing the models, especially the boats.
It was the first time they had been to the club headquarters, and they were keen to come back again soon.
