Australia consistently ranks among the world’s best in terms of the livability index, which measures the economy, health, education, and quality of life. But not many people are aware that Australia has one of the most active LEGO communities around. You can glean it from the number of conventions dedicated to the hobby, such as Brickvention, Towers of Tomorrow, Canberra Brick Expo, and groups like the Melbourne LEGO User Group or MUGs.
According to the data, Australia’s toys and baby market is expected to hit US$981 million by the end of 2020 and $1.2 billion by 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.0%. Also, Nine’s Lego Masters show remains very popular as it draws in a million viewers on average.
LEGO bricks are extremely collectible because they never become outdated. You are only limited by your own imagination. If you plan on building your own collection of LEGO in Australia, you are taking the next step from the average hobbyist.
Here are some tips for you so you can start your LEGO collection:
- Follow a theme — While it may be cost-effective to buy a set of LEGOs when they are offered on sale, it will result in a mishmash collection. Fortunately, there are multiple sets from the Danish toymaker for you to choose from. You should probably steer clear from the Star Wars or Disney themes for now because those bricks are notoriously expensive. But there are other options like Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Batman, Ninjago, Robot, Minecraft, Car, and Castle sets. Sticking to a theme is also more fulfilling because you can play treasure hunt as you look for key pieces to your collection.
- Prepare your workshop — The bricks can come in very small pieces, which means that you can lose them easily if you are not careful. Plan carefully on how you think your collection of LEGO in Australia will grow because you might find yourself in need of a bigger space. Purchase plastic storage or flip-out storage so that you can organise the bricks into colours, types of bricks, complications, and the like. That way, you can find and use them anytime you like.
- Start with the basics — Basic bricks, even if they do not appear very impressive, are the foundation to any build. Invest in 2×2, 1×4, 2×4, or 1×6 bricks. Although they are also part of your themed sets, you can never have too much. Polybags are also a good way to add to your collection, and they can even be a separate collection. They are fewer than 100 pieces for each bag, and since 2009, LEGO has marked them with serial numbers for easier tracking, and you can buy them for cheap prices.
- Know your goals — Aligning your interests with your LEGO collection will provide you with a blueprint for your collection. If you love to travel, for instance, you can recreate iconic landmarks from the country you visited. If you love vehicles, then LEGO has a Cars collection that enables you to build scale models.
The tips above should only serve as your launchpad as you build your collection of LEGO in Australia. Finally, it should be mentioned that there are too many bogus or clone LEGO products being sold online today. Although they are very cheap, settling for knock-offs is not a good way to achieve your goals.
