Bendigo will play host this weekend to some of the region’s most avid treasure hunters.
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The Annual Arms and Collectibles Show, now in its 32nd year, will be showing off guns galore alongside nifty knick knacks.
The show promises to be the biggest yet, with more than 150 displays and trader tables, Golden City Collectors Association member Sue Rawlings said.
She said she was thrilled to be exhibiting her own collection of wild west memorabilia over the course of the weekend.
Locals will be showcasing their vast collections, gathered and intricately assembled over many years, among them John Oakes, of Bridgewater, with his array of pocket knives.
Mr Oakes doesn’t know exactly how many pocket knives he has – he “just stopped counting” once he hit 300.
Mr Oakes impressive collection includes knives of every size and shape, from tiny blades attached to peanut replicas to the kind of thing you’d expect to see Crocodile Dundee wielding.
But his understated pieces hold pride of place – a long elegant blade, used for testing the ripeness of a melon, and a cluster of sterling silver knives.
The weekend will be a chance for history enthusiasts to delight in collections of antique clocks and shearing equipment from the 1800s to the present day.
They will also see history flung into the present, with two re-enactment groups set to attend.
The Blue and The Grey, representing US confederate soldiers, will be adorned in period uniform and traditional women’s clothing.
Visitors will also have a blast with naval re-enactment performers, The Shenandoah Group, who are set to wheel in a cannon for the event.
Other displays will feature cameras and watches, a Victoria Cross collection, and a selection of bright and beautiful buttons.
Crest Craft’s Gary McCarther will give interested locals the chance to discover more about their family crest.
Bendigo Medals’ David Dalgliesh will be at the fair, and he creates boxed memorabilia for families of war soldiers, with a photo, details of war service and mounted replicas of war medals.
Other traders on the day include Armor Antiques, Mallee Collectables, Heritage Antique Arms, Lakeside Sporting Goods, and Northern Shooting supplies from Shepparton with Bunduki Books.
The 2015 Annual Arms and Collectibles Show will be held at Bendigo Major League Multisports Complex from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and 9am to 3pm on Sunday.
Tickets range from $4 concession to $10 for a family.
