Find out the winners, runner ups and special mentions from this years amazing SARA Photo Competition.
The 2018 SARA Photo Competition was a raging success with over 220 photos from 37 talented photographers. It seems the grand prize of two nights accomodation at Inneston in Innes National Park was all too tempting. Every region in the state was represented with photographers from a diverse range of backgrounds and roles. We had ecologists, rangers and fire management officers to volunteers, Reconciliation project officers and members of our communications and community engagement teams. It was great to see so many staff from different areas visiting the amazing parks and wild places in our great state!
The results were announced at this year's Annual Migration, held at Woodhouse Activity Centre in Piccadilly on August 29 - 31. It was a long wait for some after an exciting but long day of wonderful presenters and workshops on Monday. Thankfully the crowd was suitably supplied with beverages and re-energised after a truly inspiring talk from International Ranger Federation President and all around legend Sean Wilmore. Though not all winners were able to attend, the crowd more than made up for it with suitably impressed ooohs and aaaahs following projection of every phenomenal winner and runner up. All
Overall Winner - Nikki Zanardo, 'Above and Below, Gulf St Vincent
Runner Up - Jason Vanlaarhoven, 'Singing Honeyeater in Flight', Port Germain
Runner Up - Martin Stokes, 'Dianella Dinner', Strathalbyn (Martin's property)
Flora Category Winner - Martin Stokes, 'Dianella Dinner', Strathalbyn (Martin's property)
Runner Up - Kathleen Matthews, 'The orchid and the fly', Basnet Road Para Wirra
Runner Up - Bill Rowland, 'Caleana major, flying duck orchid', Knott Hill
Fauna Category Winner - Jason Vanlaarhoven, 'Contemplative Wren', Belair National Park
Runner Up - Jason Vanlaarhoven, 'Singing Honeyeater in Flight', Port Germain
Runner Up - Sarah Voumard, 'Shingleback eating a sturt desert pea', Roxby Downs Station
Landscapes Category Winner - Nadine Brown, 'Reflections', Lake Gairdner Gawler Ranges
Runner Up - Eric Dahl, 'Golden Morning Lady Blanche, Coongie Lakes National Park
Runner Up - Ben Tucker, 'Dream Dune', South of Sheringa Eyre Peninsula
Fire & Extreme Weather Winner - Meryl Schiller, 'From the Ashes', Witjira National Park
Runner Up - Joe Tilly, 'Where's Angus?', Lincoln National Park entrance
Runner Up - Jarred Pippos, 'Appliance Shadow', Ettrict Conservation Park
People, Culture & Heritage Winner - Meryl Schiller, 'Waryu Palya', Witjira National Park
Runner Up - Dan Bailey, 'APY Athel Control?', Kenmore Park APY Lands
Runner Up - Abbie Thomas, 'Cape Borda Lighthouse Canon', Kangaroo Island
Marine & Coastal Environments Winner - Nikki Zanardo, 'Above and Below, Gulf St Vincent
Runner Up - Martin Stokes, 'The Hermit', Pondalowie Bay, Innes National Park
Runner Up - Kurtis Madigan, 'Mid beach afternoon', Middleton Beach
These jaw dropping images make up the 2018-19 SARA Calendar which spans some 18 months of daily inspiration. Don't forget to grab your copy now for just $15. As El Capitan Derek Snowball says, that's less than $1 a month!
An additional category this year, the Odd Shots category is for those weird, wacky and special photos that just don't quite meet calendar requirements.
Odd Shots Category Winner - Anne O'dea, 'Hair Foot, Brookfield Conservation Park
Runner Up - Rhiannon Mason, 'Pausing on my flutterby', Cherry Gardens
Runner Up - Pier Brissenden, 'Desert Tracks', Simpson Desert National Park
All category winners were awarded a certificate and 2018-19 Calendar containing their beautiful images and runners up received a SARA Gift Card Pack showcasing previous years entries.
A big thank you to our tireless, hardworking judges
We were lucky enough to have a full contingent of 10 judges put their hands up to assess this year's crop of images. Two of our lovely judges didn't quite get over the finish line with work load and remote location contributing to the mammoth judging task. The remaining eight put in the hard yards, and likely a few glasses of wine, to deliver our very first year of absolute winners. No captains calls were required by El Capitan Derek Snowball with clear winners in every category and overall results. As a token of our appreciation and reward for a tough job well done all judges received a SARA Gift Card Pack.
Don't delay, get snapping now ready for next year's SARA Photo Competition and you could be seen here next year!