Adult Lego enthusiasts say returning to their childhood love of the tiny bricks has been a life saver and even helped them quit smoking.

Key points: The BrisBricks Lego club is celebrating train journeys around Queensland for its latest expo

The BrisBricks Lego club is celebrating train journeys around Queensland for its latest expo The not-for-profit club is for adult fans of Lego

The not-for-profit club is for adult fans of Lego Lego has experienced a resurgence in recent years

They have spoken out about the power of the tiny bricks ahead of a Lego expo where some of Queensland's most iconic places have been recreated in intricate, and humorous, displays made of millions of Lego bricks.

The Great Barrier Reef, Brisbane's Story Bridge, far north Queensland's Kuranda Scenic Railway and the outback Birdsville Hotel all feature in the BrisBricks Lego Club's exhibition.

Lego enthusiast and Brisbane engineer, Nik Wood, 48, helped make the Kuranda Scenic Railway display.

Mr Wood, who builds highways for a living, took up Lego about six years ago to help him quit smoking and said he found it very relaxing.

"It's just a labour of love. We spent a year on it, basically."

Nik Wood, Maryann Sword and Alaister Raphael spent months building the Kuranda display at home. ( Supplied: Nik Wood )

While another club member built the model of the railway bridge and tourist train which run on a nine-volt track — complete with an Aboriginal snake pattern emblazoned on the locomotive — Mr Wood and his fiancee created the surrounding scenery.

He said about 250,000 Lego bricks were used for the six-foot-long display which includes a moving Skyrail cableway, the Wet Tropics rainforest and crocodiles in the Barron River.

"We tried to take the classic Barron River shot where the curved bridge goes over the falls as you're on your way up to Kuranda — that's the iconic look that we went for.

"Getting that curved bridge was a challenge because Lego is fairly square and getting those different angles is probably what makes it pop."

Mr Wood visited Kuranda several years ago and the group researched images on the Internet for inspiration and included some of their own tongue-in-cheek details, including dolphins in the river and a "brick-built" cassowary lurking near picnickers.

"We've got lots of fun knick-knacks in there," he said.

"There's a crocodile feeding out of the back of a tourist boat ... people camping along in the forest or riding kayaks over the waterfall and taking selfies with crocodiles in the background."

The Lego displays are rich with quirky details. ( Supplied: Nik Wood )

Intergenerational connection

BrisBricks is a not-for-profit group for adult Lego fans which raises money and donates bricks for children's charities through its expos.

The Wheel of Brisbane, Story Bridge and even the XXXX brewery are all part of the display. ( Supplied: BrisBricks )

Mr Wood said about 10,000 people were expected at this weekend's show in Toowoomba after which the model would be dismantled for good, having being carted around to several expos in south-east Queensland.

"That's what Lego's about, building and rebuilding," he said.

"The whole thing will be destroyed and we start with a clean slate and try for something else for next year to impress the crowd and wow the visitors."

Mr Wood said Lego had brought him and his family a lot of joy and he was pleased it was becoming popular again.

"It's definitely sparked interest in a whole new generation .... 10 years ago it seemed to have a bit of a lull but there's definitely been a resurgence.

"It spans a few generations, you get the grandparents and the grandchildren all enjoying it."

Emerging from the 'dark ages'

BrisBricks founder Judy Friedman and an 81-year-old club member helped create the expo's colourful Great Barrier Reef display.

It took several months to build and includes sea creatures, mermaids, someone being eaten by a shark and coral formations built from Star Wars droid arms.

It took Ms Friedman months to source the parts to make the weird and wonderful sea creatures. ( Supplied: Judy Friedman )

The Brisbane mother reacquainted herself with Lego about a decade ago, emerging from what aficionados refer to as the "dark ages" — the years people stop playing with Lego after childhood — to start a small business out of her garage buying and selling pre-loved bricks.

"There's obviously a big demand for all of us who are coming out of our dark ages back into Lego, finishing off sets and just finding bits and pieces," she said.

"We love the idea of recycling it — rebuilding and re-using all the Lego that the children have grown out of or are just not interested in anymore.

"When people have got that container that's been shoved in the back of a house or whatever we buy it off them."

Lego: A 'life saver'

Lego coral made from Star Wars droid arms. ( Supplied: Judy Friedman )

Ms Friedman's business BrickResales buys large amounts of Lego from charities and employs 15 staff who wash, sterilise and sort about 40 kilograms of Lego per day.

It hosts events where Lego fans can hunt for an elusive brick they need for a set or project.

"They've got their lists and tick things off.

"It's an amazing thing to watch because you'll see people standing around our tubs of Lego ... talking about, 'Oh, what piece are you looking for?'" she said.

"We take about 700 or 800 kilograms to every event.

"We don't talk about Lego in kilos so much, we talk about it in tonnes around here."

Ms Friedman said she loved how Lego united people of all ages from all walks of life.

"I would say Lego's probably saved my life," she said.

"It brings a sense of community and family and brings like-minded people together.

"Our home is full of Lego, our workplace is full of Lego, between the club friends we have and the events that we do, there's this massive sense of community."