Photographers show what ‘The Fitz’ means to them
It was about birds, The Wellstead Estuary and the UNESCO Fitzgerald Biosphere in a recent nature photography competition – ‘Life in the transition zone: co-existing with nature in the Fitzgerald Biosphere’.
The competition, associated workshops and exhibition, was the partnership between the Fitzgerald Biosphere Group (FBG - the Landcare and agricultural group operating in the Jerramungup shire) and the Fitzgerald Biosphere Community Collective (FBCC – a group of organisations, government departments, community groups and individuals that speak for the UNESCO listed Fitzgerald Biosphere).
On the 27th September, over 75 attendees joined our three judges as they shared their deep connections to the Biosphere, distilled across three themes: Birdlife of the Wellstead Estuary, What the Wellstead Estuary means to me, and Living in the Zone (in reference to Fitzgerald Biosphere zonation).
Nathan McQuoid, landscape ecologist, former Chair of the FBCC and long-time advocate for the Fitzgerald Biosphere, joined by Georgina Steytler, award winning nature photographer and author of the books 'For the Love of Birds' (2021) and 'For the Love of Flora', and Hopetoun nature photographer Jarvis Smallman, Oceanographic Magazine’s 2023 Young Ocean Photographer of the Year, spoke to the elements of their chosen, winning photographs displayed in the Bremer bay community hall.
Winners as follows:
Birdlife on the Wellstead Estuary - OPEN
Lex Porebski with 'Communal gathering site'
What the W.E means to me - OPEN
Alice Reddington with 'River rats'
What the W.E means to me - JUNIOR
Maddison Newton with 'Mussels'
Living in the ‘Zone’ - OPEN
Paul - Emile Pheulpin with 'Milky Way Austral'
Living in the ‘Zone’ - JUNIOR (Tie)
Brooklyn Marjoribanks with 'Track Mt East Barren'
Annabelle Reddington with 'Exploring the coastline of Bremer Bay'
People's Choice - voted on the evening:
Alice Reddington with 'Fishing in the dunes'
Highly commended from our attendees:
Graham Richardson with 'Spinebill feeding on Scarlet Banksia' & Mike Fulwood with 'Golden Break - Native Dog Beach'
The quality and creativity of 187 images entered from 72 entrants was overwhelming and we were delighted to present over $3500 of prizes across 7 deserving winners that contributed to this community project. Follow our social media at https://www.facebook.com/FitzgeraldBiosphere/ to view winning and finalist images.
This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program and Lotterywest. We are also grateful for the contributions from DBCA, Georgina Steytler, Shire of Jerramungup, Jarvis Smallman, Hillzeez, Australian Photography magazine, Bremer Bay Progress Association, WhaleWatch WA, Bremer Bay Resort, Trailblazers, BCF, Birdlife Australia, Pelican Op Shop Bremer Bay, Australian Geographic Magazine and Harvey Norman.
