You could be forgiven for asking the question: what is the Aus7 Modellers Group Inc. and what is it aiming to do? The simple answer is to look at the aims set out on the home page of this web site. An even more straightforward, one sentence answer is that the Aus7 Modellers Group Inc. is an organization dedicated to the promotion of O-scale modelling in Australia. While the Aus7 Modellers Group Inc. is not a company, neither is it a club: the group has no clubrooms and no regular meetings outside of an Annual General Meeting. However in spite of this we have an active and growing membership who seem to think the groups aims are worthwhile and serve their hobby interests.
A second question that could be asked is: why do Australian modellers need such an organization? After all, there are many other groups a modeller could join which help promote the hobby. About ten years ago 7mm or O-scale modelling was a scale in decline in Australia. Very few people modelled in O, HO dominated the hobby scene and the mix of articles published in the hobby press naturally reflected this dominance. Things have slowly turned around in the last decade due to the efforts of many different individuals however about 18 months ago some modellers working in O-scale felt the time had arrived to take the step of setting up a group dedicated to our scale. We felt that the only way to address the issues and concerns faced by the average O-scale and 7mm modeller in Australia today, or someone looking to try their hand at the scale, was to form our own organization and produce our own printed news letter, 7th Heaven.
The key reason the Aus7 Modellers Group was formed was that Australian O and 7mm scale modellers need an organization dedicated to their issues and concerns. An organization where, as a member, they can meet other modellers working in these scales (1:43.5 and 1:48) to swap ideas, experiences and tips. A place where the focus is on the particular, and sometimes exclusively O-scale challenges they face, and where they can share the enjoyment they are getting from their hobby with other like-minded individuals.
A great deal of material in the mainstream modelling press is applicable to all scales but there are some hurdles to getting into O-scale that are exclusive to the scale and the best source of information about these challenges is the experience of other modellers in your own country. While there are some excellent overseas magazines available with increasing numbers of articles dedicated to the O-scale modeller, it doesn't help very much to know an item is available from a shop in Warwickshire if you live in Wagga Wagga. The Aus7 Modellers Group Inc. exists to be a link between often widely dispersed modellers in our very large country. Without an organization such as the Aus7 Modellers Group we run the risk of separately trying to "invent the wheel" when all we really needed to do is ask someone who has already invented it how he did it. We also want to help spread the word that these scales are alive and well in Australia.
The Aus7 Modellers Group Inc. is a relatively new organization, being formed around the middle of 2004 and incorporated in September 2005. We have a long way to go before we reach our goals but we think we've made a pretty good start. If you're reading this and think you might be interested in having a go at modelling in O-scale why not follow some of the links elsewhere on this page or drop a line to one of the executive members listed. They will try their best to answer your questions.
Until then have a good time in the best hobby there is.
Trevor Hodges
Why settle for half when you can have the whole O?