MOC: My home town 'Maclean' NSW Australia

[Aussie BJ]

Hi All,

I've been working and a big project over the last few months and thought it was time to start sharing. My plan is to build (almost all done) all the commercial buildings of my home town of Maclean NSW Australia. The town was established in the late 1800's early 1900's and has some beautiful architecture from all era's. There is really only one main street which make the task so much easier.

Some of the buildings have interiors whilst other are just facades. All the buildings (complete with roads cars and other goodies) will be coming together for a BIG display at a local school Fete coming up in October. There is around 30 buildings in total but I won't bore you with all of them just the good ones.

Hardware Store with interior.

More detailed pictures of the Hardware Shop Click Here.

Originally a Bank, now a solicitors and offices. Built in 1878 is the oldest building in town.

Commonwealth Bank Building complete with ATM.

Palace Arcade was an Picture Theatre in it's day. This one is a favorites and I'm working on an interior at the moment. Will post pictures soon.

Here's a little comparison photo.

A Pub with interior.

That's all for now, but for those interested in the town I'm sure you can find my little site dedicated to the build.

Regards Brendan

[eurotrash]

Excellent! I like how you're taking a real town and representing it in Lego and your buildings do look like the source material.

I really like the Pub interior!

Good luck with the School Fete - I'm sure they'll be impressed

[lightningtiger]

I wonder where someone got the ideas from eh ?

Wonderful work 'Aussie BJ'......gotta say the hardware store and picture theater are my favourites so far !

Keep them coming 'Aussie BJ' and Aussie Brick On !

[timmyc1983]

Great work there, you've captured the town's look very well!

My favourite is the pub I think, I love the detailed interior esp the upstairs section with the pool table and kegs etc.

Great work and good luck for the fete, happy building

[Aussie BJ]

Excellent! I like how you're taking a real town and representing it in Lego and your buildings do look like the source material.

I really like the Pub interior!

Good luck with the School Fete - I'm sure they'll be impressed

Thanks eurotrash, I'm trying my best to match the buildings but time is running out so short cuts are now being taken. I like the pub too and would like to spend a bit more time on it in the future. Thanks, I'm hoping it impresses them too!

I wonder where someone got the ideas from eh ?

Wonderful work 'Aussie BJ'......gotta say the hardware store and picture theater are my favourites so far !

Keep them coming 'Aussie BJ' and Aussie Brick On !

Thanks LT yeah I'd say I was inspired by your many town creations. I have spent the last few days refining the Picture Theatre which is turning out great, will post pics in the next few days.

Great work there, you've captured the town's look very well!

My favourite is the pub I think, I love the detailed interior esp the upstairs section with the pool table and kegs etc.

Great work and good luck for the fete, happy building

Thanks Timmy, as I said above I'm trying my best to match colors and architecture. I've drunk a few liquid ambers in the pub so I know it well.

I've put all the buildings together a few times to work out sizes etc and took a few pictures for reference. It's going to be a lot bigger then I expected. At least 1200mm x 2400mm plus stand off fence. Lots more to come thanks for looking.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Aussie BJ

[TheWarden]

Very interesting. Yeah, if you and lightningtiger ever MOCed together, there would be some epic building for this style.

[King Aragorn]

Awesome buildings!

[Aussie BJ]

Very interesting. Yeah, if you and lightningtiger ever MOCed together, there would be some epic building for this style.

Thanks, only problem would be the 2000km between us.

Awesome buildings!

Thanks glad you like.

After putting a few buildings together for a display in my local toy shops front window the Interest has grown in my town and all local papers have run stories about the mini town. It even made the front page of one of the papers and it was the buy line for the day (large posters that go out the front of the newsagents).

That's my ugly mug in the middle with my son and Boyd the Toy shop owner.

[lightningtiger]

Well, you did one better than me......you got your face in the paper.......I only got interviewed by the Advertiser here in Adelaide.

Congrats 'Aussie BJ'.

I have tried doing a double sided street before but due to the fact I design my town for children to play with I chose to layout the town on a single side of the road pattern.

Excellent work......now the challenge is to everyone else to try the same eh ?

Brick On 'Aussie BJ' !

[Aussie BJ]

Yes I can see how a one sided street would work better for play. My kids have been mucking around with it and they've enjoyed it lots as you can see below.

WIP of the interior of the old Picture Theartre.

[lightningtiger]

Interesting W-I-P 'Aussie BJ'........how big is the cinema going to be ?

Anyway, keep going and Brick On 'Aussie BJ' !

[Aussie BJ]

No cinema going in this building but that does give me an idea for the future. I'm making this one up to match what's currently in the building so people will recognise it at the fete.

[lightningtiger]

No cinema going in this building but that does give me an idea for the future. I'm making this one up to match what's currently in the building so people will recognise it at the fete.

Ha, I see......so what's going on in the old cinema now ?

[Kristel]

This is a great project! I'm looking forward to seeing the final street shots.

[timmyc1983]

Wow I'm really liking the interior of the 'old picture theatre'. Loots of great little details there! I too wonder exactly what the building's used for now

I look forward to more, happy building

[kermit]

Impressive project you are doing. I would tile the sidewalks though.

[Aussie BJ]

Ha, I see......so what's going on in the old cinema now ?

The old cinema has been split into a arcade with several shops. Currently upstairs there is a Tattoo shop a dance studio and residence. Down stairs a few vacant shops, a coffee shop, bakery, lolly shop, hair dressers x 2, an insurance shop and a take away food shop. My recreation for now has a coffee shop, bakery, hair dresser and residence.

This is a great project! I'm looking forward to seeing the final street shots.

Thanks, me too. I'll be post pictures asap once it's all done.

Wow I'm really liking the interior of the 'old picture theatre'. Loots of great little details there! I too wonder exactly what the building's used for now

I look forward to more, happy building

Thanks for you comments. As above it was split into an Arcade some years ago and has lots of little shops.

Impressive project you are doing. I would tile the sidewalks though.

The thought has crossed my mine but it comes down to cost and I've already spent lots on the project. I haven't worked out how many tiles it would take but it would be in the 1000's of studs. Thanks for commenting.

[lightningtiger]

The thought has crossed my mine but it comes down to cost and I've already spent lots on the project. I haven't worked out how many tiles it would take but it would be in the 1000's of studs. Thanks for commenting.

I agree that there is a huge cost factor in paving the sidewalks, etc., though it does let more realism into the creation. I've spent at least two hundred dollars on tiles in the last 2 years !

Any thing else planned 'Aussie BJ' ?

[Laservampire]

These are absolutely fantastic mate! Congrats on the feature in the paper!

[Aussie BJ]

I agree that there is a huge cost factor in paving the sidewalks, etc., though it does let more realism into the creation. I've spent at least two hundred dollars on tiles in the last 2 years !

Any thing else planned 'Aussie BJ' ?

I still have heaps to do LT. I was hoping I'd get time to do a bank interior but time is running out and I'm focusing on cars and lots of them. Most will be 4 wide with a few 6 wide trucks thrown in. I have been toying with idea of adding power lines as they seem to be everywhere in town but again time is fading away.

These are absolutely fantastic mate! Congrats on the feature in the paper!

Thanks and thanks, I was wrapped getting in the paper too. When I go down town now people stop me and say hey Mr Lego Man.

More WIP pictures. So much to do so little time 18 days to go!

[kermit]

The old cinema has been split into a arcade with several shops. Currently upstairs there is a Tattoo shop a dance studio and residence. Down stairs a few vacant shops, a coffee shop, bakery, lolly shop, hair dressers x 2, an insurance shop and a take away food shop. My recreation for now has a coffee shop, bakery, hair dresser and residence.

Thanks, me too. I'll be post pictures asap once it's all done.

Thanks for you comments. As above it was split into an Arcade some years ago and has lots of little shops.

The thought has crossed my mine but it comes down to cost and I've already spent lots on the project. I haven't worked out how many tiles it would take but it would be in the 1000's of studs. Thanks for commenting.

Instead of using tiles if it is not cost productive, how about using the bricks by sideways building and placing the houses on it so that you still achieve the tile effect.

[ER0L]

Great! I like the way you have combined many different shapes and colors to get a town that's rich in variety. That pub interior is really excellent. Good luck for the exhibition!

[Aussie BJ]

Instead of using tiles if it is not cost productive, how about using the bricks by sideways building and placing the houses on it so that you still achieve the tile effect.

Well in hindsight this is what I should of done. But by the time I realised this was going to be a big project it was to late as I had told the fete organises that I would be able to display the mini town.

Great! I like the way you have combined many different shapes and colors to get a town that's rich in variety. That pub interior is really excellent. Good luck for the exhibition!

Many thanks ER0L. The combined differences aren't really my doing more the architects that designed the original buildings in the first place. I've just tried to match them all as closely as possible and it's turning out very reconisable to the locals.

[Aussie BJ]

With only 2 weeks to go before the Fete I've put the town together once more to check everything is right. Apart from a few awnings getting in the way it all seems to fit in good. I plan on setting up a few scene's such as a Bank robbery, shop fire and some crooks stealing the wheels off a police car but I'd like some more.

Any suggestions for scene's most welcome.

[lightningtiger]

Gee, now why does that remind me of something.....oh, wait how I tried my town layout before switching back to all of them on one side of the road plates so everyone could see the frontages. My first train show was with buildings also with no roofs on them too.

You need more straight road plates......that's why I went with 8x16 tiles though more costly it does allow for T-junctions where you like in a way.

Do you have room for the train......noticing the train controller ?

This is reminding to prepare to start on my roadhouse/truck stop (there's an idea for you perhaps ? ) straight after finishing my ARCO farm warehouse build......nothing like keeping busy eh ?

Oh, yeah.....street lighting you need as well.

Brick On 'Aussie BJ' !

Edit - Did you remember to include Harvey Norman ?

Edited October 8, 2013 by lightningtiger