Sustainable snapshots: putting Country into focus photographic competition
Eligible staff and students were invited to participate in the Sustainable snapshots: putting Country into focus photographic competition in August and September 2024. Over 70 photographs that showcased the natural environment, captured their connections with Country at UOW or demonstrated behaviours and actions that are environmentally sustainable were entered into the competition.
There were two competition categories
- Category 1 - Connection to Country - Photographs that showcase the natural environment at UOW and/or highlight how staff and students connect to Country at UOW.
- Category 2 - Sustainability in action - Photographs that depict or highlight the ways staff and students are putting environmental sustainability into action in their everyday work or study activities at UOW.
All entries were given a title and a caption explaining the entrants reflections, reasons or experience that guided why they had chosen the image for the competition category.
The entries into the sustainable snapshots putting country into focus photography competition are currently on exhibition in the Bld 29 UOW Gallery. The exhibition space is open from 10am to 4pm Mondays, Tuesday and Wednesdays. The exhibition will run until December.
Competition Winners
On Wednesday 30 October 2024 the winners of the competition were announced.
Category 1 - Connection to Country - staff - first place winner
Ryan Cruickshanks, "The bower nest - The bower bird that built this nest is very special to us at WIC as he is part of the family now having chosen his home in our native garden"
Category 1 - Connection to Country - staff - second place winner
Sue Curtis, "Miniature world - These tiny fungi growing on a single leaf represent a connection to country through the intricate, often unnoticed ecosystems beneath our feet. Found in leaf litter under the trees at UOW, they remind us of nature's subtle beauty and resilience, inhabiting a tiny microclimate and Miniature World".
Category 1 - Connection to Country - staff - highly commended
Benjamin Ball, “Dancing Days - On windy days my thoughts feel scattered. As if the lid to my brain has flipped open, and the bottles that once held my ideas, and the cardboard that wrapped my dreams, have escaped and blown across the landscape of my life. Sometimes I find things long forgotten; I laugh, and dance with the air".
Sue Curtis, "Airborne Balance - A dragonfly is frozen in flight for a moment above UOW’s duck pond. These insects feast on mosquito larvae and are a food source for other pond life. They reflect a connection of harmony between nature and the environment, a delicate balance of sustainability".
Category 1 - Connection to Country - student- first place winner
Emily Croft-Sharp, "Country's Unique Messenger - I felt connected to Country by embracing the stare of the cockatoo. I was observing him as he stands out with his yellow crest. This moment captures the beauty and individuality of everything living on Country. This moment reminds me of the importance of observing Country respectfully".
Category 1 - Connection to Country - student- second place winner
Hannah Parsons, "The Living Spirit of UOW - This image is the essence of coming home to UOW. As light dances and lorikeet songs fill the air, I hear the wisdom of the Dharawal peoples saying we are intertwined with every living thing. This place is more than a landscape; it’s a living presence speaking to my soul".
Category 2 - Sustainability in Action- staff- first place winner
Aimee Silla, "Safeguarding Our Fabulous Frogs! - My research group is dedicated to the conservation of Australia's unique and fabulous frogs, including this critically endangered Booroolong frog (Litoria booroolongensis). We develop reproductive technologies (hormone therapies & IVF) to conserve these precious creatures for future generations".
Category 2 - Sustainability in Action- staff- second place winner
Paul Chad, "Reaching for the Sky - Staff and Students Strive to Reach for the Sky – so do the trees on campus. Nestled within the Building 18 Quadrangle, this tree juxtaposes the built-environment. The tree not only thrives in an ideal protected habitat, but provides natural climate control for the building. Sustainability in action".
Category 2 - Sustainability in Action- student- first place winner
Jessica Knight, "Possum Performance - On one of the spotlight campus tours we spotted this Brush Tailed Possum quite close to the ground. He was posed rather beautifully and we got to admire him closely. Possums are one of the many loved fauna on campus, and their presence displays the effectiveness of the boxes, tree hollows and hides".
Category 2 - Sustainability in Action- student- second place winner
Rebecca Steel Eden, "My Journey to my nursing degree- Nursing study is an individual journey, as some days can be more stress impacted than others. So by utilizing the unique travel journey I have as an option to/from Sutherland campus. A walk, ferry, train, walk keeps me grounded of my surrounding environment, stress and the beauty of it all".
Peoples Choice Award - Staff
Melissa Davis, "Yarning circle - When I read about this competition I wanted to highlight a group of my colleagues that are part of the Wednesday Crochet Gathering group. They meet weekly to work on various projects. One member donates knee blankets to Campbelltown Hospital ED - Nanga Mai room, as well as beanies for the homeless."
Peoples Choice Award - Student
Khiem Nguyen, "The Quiet Observer: frog among UOW’s Greens - In September 2024, I joined a nighttime wildlife tour at the University of Wollongong campus and was delighted by the variety of animals we encountered. One notable discovery was the presence of frogs, whose charming croaks added a magical ambiance to our exploration".
