It was standing room only in the Coromandel Area School Hall with hundreds of people gathering to pay tribute to Coromandel legend Barry Brickell on Wednesday.

The pioneering potter, artist, author, conservationist and railway enthusiast, died peacefully surrounded by family and friends at his home in Driving Creek on Saturday. He was 80 years old.

Coromandel Area School was filled to the brim for the memorial service in honour of Coromandel legend Barry Brickell on Wednesday. Photo: Cameron Massey/Fairfax

Coromandel Area School was a fitting venue for the memorial service, with Barry being the driving force behind initiating and funding the provision of milk for its students.

Attending the service were a number of Barry's friends and family, including younger brother Gavin Brickell who recounted the mischief his older brother would cause as a young boy.

'At age 12 he first attempted to get to Coro in a tiny P class yacht with six year old me in tow. Luckily, we were saved by dad as we left Cheltenham Beach,” he remembered.

Barry was born in New Plymouth in 1935 and grew up in Devonport on Auckland's North Shore.

His passion for pottery was born at an early age, but Barry would go on to study science at Auckland University College in 1954 before becoming a teacher in Coromandel Town in 1961.

He soon left teaching to become a full-time potter and in 1974 he purchased the property at Driving Creek where his iconic railway and pottery studio now stand.

Barry Brickell. Photo: File

It took Barry 33 years to build the narrow-gauge railway which has since become a hugely popular tourist attraction for visitors to the Coromandel. During his lifetime Barry also wrote several books on pottery and on the Driving Creek Railway.

While his pottery has been collected by art galleries, the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and is also on display in parliament buildings.

In 1988 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to pottery.

Speaking at the service, Barry's neighbour and friend of nearly 40 years Wailin Elliot paid tribute to the huge turnout of people who'd come to pay their respects.

'It is so wonderful to see everybody here, so many people from all the different parts of Barry's life," she said.

Everyone who attended the service were also invited to help build a clay vessel which will eventually be placed near Driving Creek Railway.

On Monday Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty paid her own tribute saying Barry's voice and vision will be hugely missed 'but never forgotten”.

- Additional reporting from Stuff.co.nz

The clay vessel which will eventually be placed near Driving Creek Railway in honour of Barry Brickell. Photo: Cameron Massey/Fairfax