Matchstick House

41 Ferry Street, Wyndham

Collection of Wyndham & Districts Museum - scale: 1 cm = 1 foot

This scale model, made from used wooden matchsticks, is an example of a craft that was very popular in 1960-1970s. The raw material for such a craft was readily available and this may have been the reason why it became popular.

However the fact that these models are still being made may have more to do with the challenge such a material presented, with scale-models of cathedrals, sailing ships and even the space shuttle being recently produced with the craft's modern-day equivalent of the humble match, now referred to as microbeams.

The house above was made by a 15 year old Wyndham boy, Gary Wilson, in the 1970s and is said to be an exact replica of his own home at the time (41 Ferry Street, Wyndham). The model, which includes rooms with built-in wardrobes, fireplaces and bay windows, even has battery powered lights in the lift off roof, a boat with ramp, and a car in the garage.

Collection of Wyndham & Districts Museum

Gary made the house from 26,000 matches that he collected from friends and family, as well as copious amounts of glue and varnish. It took approximately ten months to complete and he said that "at times I did get bored with it, especially with the walls which were the hardest part of the building".