It began as a way to bring his horticulture fascination indoors while recovering from prolonged illness.
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But Peter Fisk's bonsai passion has come to envelope a lot more.
"The appeal of bonsai is having a miniature tree that mirrors a tree in nature," he said.
"[I started] in Canberra back in 2000, medical issues meant that I could not be mobile so I was looking for a hobby to do at home. The size of the tree meant that from a hobby perspective, I didn't need much space."
Now serving as the secretary of city's bonsai club, Mr Fisk is preparing to stage its biannual exhibition of the 40-plus trees at the Wagga Art Gallery in November.
The club is made up of 44 members, from high schoolers to people aged in their 80s, bound by their mutual love for the Japanese trees. But the pursuit has the capacity to out-live every club member.
"These trees can live for hundreds of years, so it's something you can start early in life, keep it with you and pass it on to the next generation," Mr Fisk said.
"I have some that are 30 years old, but other members have some that are up to 60 years already."
The secret to its longevity, Mr Fisk said, is letting the tree work its natural magic.
"I always say it's just about adding water, the tree does the rest. You do need to understand the type of tree and how it goes seasonally in nature, then just prune it and give it the right nutrients."
"Some members have placed figurines with their trees, but mostly they've got coloured gravel on top of the soil that matches the pot and tree," Mr Fisk said.