Club History
There was also a group of people interested in marine modelling, both yachting people and scale model boat people. The Club was first started in 1979 by the combining of two Clubs, the Tauranga Model Marine Club established in 1974 and the Tauranga Model Engineering Club established in 1976.
In July 1979 a meeting was held with Tauranga Model Marine Club and the Tauranga Model Engineering Club, which was a group of people who had recently completed the overhaul of a steam locomotive for the Tauranga Historic Village and decided to build model steam locomotives.
Those present at this first meeting in 1979 were Bob Butler, Ewen Baird and Dave Toms for the Model Marine Club, and Trevor Chapman, Selwyn McCauley and Peter Jones for the Model Engineering Club.
At this meeting it was decided to form a new club combining the modelling interests and to call that club the Tauranga Model Marine and Engineering Club. It started off as a portable track which was bolted together.
On a running day it was necessary to bring the track on a trailer, bolt it together and then set up a tent especially if it was showery or it was very hot, but they could manage without a tent if the weather was average. By Christmas 1983 the club had moved to Memorial Park, Tauranga.