The Little World

It is not necessary to have rock music and explosions.

Sometimes quiet beauty and good crafting skills are all that is needed. A case in point is the annual Western Australian Miniature Association event held at South Perth Civic Centre. It is a gem.

The venue is on a quiet street – which helps to calm the visitor before they enter. It’s well-lighted – I counted some 60 powerful downlights set in the ceiling, and they all seemed to have a constant colour temperature. It is open and served with a kitchen and facilities – as well as a spacious lobby. I daresay there are A/V installations somewhere, though for the WAMA and the secondhand camera markets they are not used. In any case, it is a comfortable hall.

The organisers use the standard trestle format for the trade stalls as well as the display tables. They cover them with black tablecloths and then do a very sensible thing – they adorn the face that the visitors pass with a string of coloured banners. It is festive as well as practical – the colour warns a walker where the table is and keeps them from stumbling into it. It is not a physical barrier – it is an optical one.

In contrast to the model railway show held earlier in the year at another venue, there is no charge for parking at South Perth. That means money saved in your pocket – and the door price is a quarter of that at the railways. The effect is to give the visitor more to spend at the trade stalls or the refreshment counter. And a feeling of value for money.

The large lobby of the centre was used to display antique and modern baby carriages – an interesting sub-hobby in itself that collectors and miniaturists can relate to.

But what of the main display? Read tomorrow and see some more of the little wonders.