RDA Central West received a number of excellent entries from all over the region for its inaugural ‘Central West Is Best’ 2019 photography competition. The winners were announced this week.
Competition was tough with the final shots selected thought to best showcase this year’s theme: ‘Agriculture and Tourism: Let’s Showcase Our Region’.
RDA Central West CEO Sam Harma, said the competition had achieved its aim of highlighting the region’s agriculture and tourism offerings each of which make the Central West so special.
“Our region is so diverse from Condobolin to Cowra and Oberon to Orange each community has a special reason to stop, shop, and stay.
“The winning shots encapsulate the wonderful mix of agriculture and tourism offerings that make the Central West such a distinctive region of the nation,” Mr Harma said.
“As we continue through another glorious spring, we’re encouraging potential visitors and residents alike to take a trip to the many diverse towns and villages and to attend the countless colourful events within the Central West. I’ll be sure to stop at the spectacular painted silos the next time I’m in Grenfell, and I’ll be taking my family to the multi-coloured Balloon Festival in Canowindra in April next year. I encourage others to do the same.
“Grenfell, Canowindra, Blayney and Baldry/Cumnock, where the winning shots were taken, are all beautiful and resilient communities, but with the drought still causing challenges we all need to continue to show our support for local tourism, agriculture and business – this is one way we can practically support our communities,” said Mr Harma.
Category winners each received a $300 ‘Shop Local Gift Card’, and runners-up received a $200 card. This is another way we can all support local business in our region by buying and shopping local. With October being NSW Small Business Month there isn’t a better time.
RDA Central West would like to thank everyone who took the time to enter the ‘Central West Is Best’ photography competition. The high-calibre of images entered are amazing and they will continue to be showcased through the RDA Central West’s website and social media platforms. (Winning images and details listed, below.)
FOLLOW US on social media to see competition photo highlights and for continuing updates on RDA Central West activities and projects:
Facebook: @RegionalDevelopmentAustraliaCentralWest
Instagram: @rdacentralwest
eNews: Join RDACW’s enews list at: rdacentralwest.org.au for monthly updates.
Hashtags: #rdacentralwest #centralwestisbestphotocomp
Media Contact: Sam Harma m. 0448 288 698 e. director@rdacentralwest.org.au
- Please contact RDA Central West directly if you would like to interview any of the winners or runners-up.
- If you print or share any of these images, please make sure the photographer is credited and please hashtag: #rdacentralwest and #centralwestisbestphotocomp on social media platforms.
RDA Central West is pleased to announce the following Winners and Runners-Up of the inaugural ‘Central West Is Best’ 2019 Photography Competition
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO TOOK THE TIME TO ENTER. THE STANDARD OF IMAGES ENTERED WAS EXTREMELY HIGH AND SHOWS THERE IS SO MUCH CREATIVE TALENT IN THE CENTRAL WEST! LOOK OUT FOR YOUR IMAGES BEING FEATURED ON RDA CENTRAL WEST’S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. #centralwestisbestphotocomp #rdacentralwest
JUNIOR CATEGORY (under 18 yo) WINNER
© ‘Sunrise at Riverside’ by Ella Gibson (Junior Category/Winner)
WINNER/JUNIOR: Ella Gibson won this category with her beautiful sunrise photo taken on her family’s property in Baldry, near Cumnock, Central West, NSW. Follow Ella on Instagram: @ella.gibson_photography
JUNIOR CATEGORY (under 18 yo) RUNNER-UP
© “Oh what’s that?” by Emily Murphy (Junior Category/Runner-up)
RUNNER-UP/JUNIOR: Emily Murphy is 17 yo, and lives with her family at Fitzgerald’s Mount near Blayney and attends Blayney High School, Central West, NSW. Emily is the Runner-Up in the Junior Category with a photo of her four poddy calves: “They came up to sniff the camera when I was taking the photo, because you never know … it might taste good! Their names are (L to R) Harmony, Fox, Burt and Popcorn.”
OPEN CATEGORY (18yo and over) WINNER
© ‘Grenfell Silos’ by Helen Carpenter (Open Category/Winner)
WINNER/OPEN: Helen Carpenter who lives just out of Grenfell town and works in Grenfell, won the Open Category with her image: ‘Grenfell Silos – the amazing public art on the grain silos in Grenfell, Central West, NSW.” Follow Helen on Instagram: @helencarpenterphotography
OPEN CATEGORY: (18yo and over) RUNNER-UP
© ‘Family Adventure’ by Doug Goninan (Open Category/Runner-up)
RUNNER-UP/OPEN: Doug Goninan won the Open Runner-up Category with his photo taken whilst on a balloon flight over Canowindra, Central West, NSW. Doug describes his experience: “A fantastic family balloon flight over beautiful Canowindra, a rich agricultural and tourist area.”