THE Mornington – Mt Martha Model Railway Club will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with an open day at Mt Martha House Community Centre on 30 November.
The event will exhibit multiple model railway layouts from visiting clubs, as well as the club’s own, and have free admission.
Club president Cameron Wilson said they want the event to be accessible to everyone, including children. Between 10am and 3pm, anyone is welcome to come and learn more about model railways and watch them operate.
Wilson said fifty years is a big milestone which celebrates “the longevity of the club and the history of it, in terms of being able to provide a place for people to get together, enjoy trains over such a long period of time, and also work on things and learn a lot of stuff”.
The club has around 35 members who come to scheduled sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and run their trains on the model track. Multiple members have pitched in over the years to help design, make, and program the set-up.
Wilson said for most of their members, the club is not just a hobby but a community and a space for social interactions.
“I think it’s meeting people with common interests, being able to run their trains, and being able to get involved in group activities,” Wilson said. “We do social activities. We go to exhibitions, we have club dinners, things like that. So, it’s a social environment with a common interest, but then also being able to work on things that you enjoy as well.”
The club is open to everyone, regardless of age or gender, and anyone is welcome to pop by at any of their running sessions to learn more.
“We’re always trying to find new members,” Wilson said.
“We’ve been trying to increase our presence because you talk to a people who are members of other clubs, and they don’t know we exist.”
Wilson said the open day is a chance for people to see some impressive models and enjoy a barbeque and a family day out. There will also be a children’s u-drive set up, where they can run model trains, and a stall selling second-hand railway items.
“We going to have trains running upstairs, trains running downstairs,” Wilson said.
“If anyone is interested, bring the kids, have a great time.”
First published in the Mornington News – 25 November 2025
