Stanwell Tops couple Sue and Jim Roach were living in an English town when Sue first became infatuated with miniatures.
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"We were living in Stratford-upon-Avon for eight months and there were a lot of people doing miniatures," she said.
Having loved miniatures ever since her father built her a dollhouse complete with a working light "which was so special to me", her husband soon set about building his first miniature house in 2013 as a "retirement hobby".
"He is a computer programmer but his grandfather was a carpenter and he has always loved doing woodwork," Sue explains.
So he set about building a miniature from the ground up in the same way a regular house would be built, starting with the foundation and framework and growing from there, but with the "added complication" of cavity openings so people can view what is inside.
Each is built using the scale of 1:12. Once Jim has completed his part, which takes months, he hands over to Sue who sets about decorating the outside and interior of the buildings.
The outside is clad in tiny weatherboards or sandpaper which is hand painted to resemble sandstone or bricks.
Roofs are made of real roof tiles or corrugated iron, or even an old-fashioned thatched roof.
Sue makes everything she can by hand.
"What I can make, I make. I get material and make pillow cases and quilts for the beds," she said.
"I made eggs and potatoes out of clay and then painted them.
"I am always on the scrounge for materials. I will pick up gravel off the side of the road and turn it into coal."
The collection has now grown to a small village of eight buildings, including three shops modelled on those found in The Rocks in Sydney, an Australian homestead, an Aussie pub modelled on one in Cairns, a Georgian-style house and even Geppetto's home from the tale of Pinocchio.
The latest building under construction is a replica of Anne Hathaway's Cottage.
In the past, the couple, who previously lived in Kirrawee in Sydney's Sutherland Shire, displayed their miniature homes in their garage at Christmas time.
They moved to Stanwell Tops four years ago to a home with a shed to house the miniature village, which they opened to the public once before COVID hit.
They will open up S & J's Miniature World to the public during the upcoming Northern Illawarra Art Trail.
The inaugural art trail will see more than 30 artists open their studios to the public on the weekend of November 19-20.
The art trail will stretch from Helensburgh in the north to Thirroul to the south, and the public is invited to come along and explore the studios during the two-day event.
Organisers said artists would showcase a range of arts, ranging from abstract to realism in oils, acrylics and watercolours, prints, photography and ceramics.
Restaurants and cafes will also join the art trail.
While the miniatures are not artworks in a traditional sense, Sue said they simply wanted to give the public a chance to view their handiwork, with the village decorated for Christmas.
"This is not a business. It is something we just love to do and want to share. We would like to display them once or twice a year, around Christmas," she said.
Sue, who also sketches and paints with watercolours, will display her artworks separately.
Details: Northern Illawarra Art Trail, November 19-20, 10am-3pm daily. For more information click here
To see a map of the art trail click here
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Merryn Porter
Journalist with more than 25 years' experience in print and digital media who has covered most news rounds, including health, education, politics (local, state and federal), police and courts, with a special interest in women's and family matters. Highly-skilled interviewer and storyteller.
Journalist with more than 25 years' experience in print and digital media who has covered most news rounds, including health, education, politics (local, state and federal), police and courts, with a special interest in women's and family matters. Highly-skilled interviewer and storyteller.
