Many of us can recall schooldays when a trip to the local hobby shop with our hard-earned pocket money rattling in our pockets meant the beginning of hours of work on a kitset model aeroplane or car – sanding, gluing, and painting our favourite models. Ah, the smell of glue permeating the house – which Mum always complained about when you were supposed to be doing your homework, the wafting fumes giving you away! The result was usually something that we proudly displayed in a glass cabinet or hung from the bedroom ceiling for all to see, testament to our skills and patience.
An eye for detail
Few developed their hobby to such a high level as Invercargill scale modeller Gary Petersen. Gary’s eye for detail and his constant striving for higher quality finishes in his models have earned him a reputation throughout the country as a top modeller. He is also a member of a nationwide group of like-minded keen modellers.
Many of us petrolheads want nothing better than to be able to sit back when our mates visit and look at a miniature replica of the pride and joy we keep in the garage. Years ago, Gary recognised a need for a craftsman to create exact miniature replicas of our metal marvels. His hobby has taken him to all corners of New Zealand and its car culture, with many car lovers now calling on his skills.
A family hobby
It all started by accident – literally. Gary’s father became interested in modelling while looking for something to occupy his time as he recovered from surgery for a back injury. He later gave his models to Gary’s uncle, little realising the impact that they would eventually have on his own son.
“Some of the models used to belong to my dad. Iduring the school holidays. One day, I found a box of old model parts my uncle had been playing with years before. They had been left in the bottom of a wardrobe. As kids of that age do, I dragged it out to have a bit of a play with them, and it sort of all took off,” Gary explains.
