I've just got back home to NZ from a 2 week holiday on the Gold Coast in Australia with my partner and our 12 y/o son.
Did all the touristy things - theme parks, scary rollercoasters, Aussie Zoo, beaches etc.
Last Saturday my beautiful partner told me we were going for a day trip to Brisbane, but wouldn't tell me what she had planned - I expected it was some fancy shopping precinct she wanted to visit - as if we hadn't spent enough $$$ on the trip already!!!
Imagine my surprise when we arrived at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre and the Brisbane Model Railway show was on!!!!
This was a BIG display (maybe not by Euro or US standards, but certainly from the smaller NZ (Railex) events I've been too. Lots of smaller, personal layouts on display along with the bigger club displays and retail stands. I was surprised by how many manufacturers of Australian specific models there were.
BUT...... unfortunately Marklin was almost non-existent - I found one box of massively overpriced items for sale, but otherwise it was all 2 rail.

Kimball - I notice you're based in Brisbane - did you get to the show?

I want to put a 'shout out' to my partner and all the other long suffering wives, husbands, FD's and family of the forum members that put up with our hobby (obsession?). Even though my partner has zero interest in my trains, she organised for us to get to this show, and even spent a bit of time feigning interest looking at the displays (before she left me to go shopping at her fancy shopping precinct in peace).

Maybe you're one of the extra lucky ones, whose partner is equally engaged in the hobby?

To my partner

Cheers all
Steve

Hi Steve,
I go to this show about one in five years.
My advancing years mean I dont get to the club (I am a member) who organise it.
It is very representative of the healthy hobby in Australia.
Märklin users here are very few and far between by comparison.

Kimball