‘Life in the Transition zone: co-existing with nature in the Fitzgerald Biosphere’ Exhibition and Awards night

‘Life in the Transition zone: co-existing with nature in the Fitzgerald Biosphere’ A celebration of the Wellstead Estuary, the birdlife dependent on it and the character of a region that is within the only UNESCO Biosphere reserve in Western Australia.

Join us for an exciting exhibition celebrating the Fitzgerald Biosphere through the photographic lens. This event showcases the unique beauty of the area - and the connection people have to it - through their eyes.

WHEN: September 27th, from 5.30pm for a 6pm start.

WHERE: Bremer Community Hall

Canapes and Drinks provided

During the evening, we will hear from multi-award winning and internationally recognised photographer Georgina Steytler about her approach to nature photography. We will announce the lucky winners who will share in over $3000 worth of prizes.

All attendees can vote for the Peoples Choice award, which will also be announced on the night.

Haven’t yet entered? If you have images you would like to contribute – please get in touch asap.

About our Photo competition:

*****We have extended our Photo Competition deadline – get your entries to us by midnight Thursday 5th September 2024!****

We invite the community to use photography to show us their connection to the Fitz Biosphere: an area of national and international significance because of its great biological richness and the place many love to visit or call home (also known as the ‘Transition Zone’ in UNESCO speak). For more information on the Fitzgerald Biosphere and how to enter the photography competition please visit https://www.fbg.org.au/the-biosphere.

A little about our judges:

Georgina Steytler is a nature photographer and the author of the books 'For the Love of Birds' (2021) and 'For the Love of Flora', published by Australian Geographic.

She holds a strong passion for birds, ethics and conservation, with a special place in her heart for the unique beauty and ecological significance of the Fitzgerald Biosphere. Her photography serves not only as a means of artistic expression but also as a powerful tool for advocacy and education - for the last fifteen years, she has been working on various conservation projects, extending her skillset to educate attendees around environmental and animal photography ethics when it comes to shooting wildlife through workshops, talks and articles, both in Australia and across the world.

Recently achieving global recognition as 2023 Young Ocean Photographer of the Year by Oceanographic Magazine Jarvis Smallman loves living in and photographing his backyard; Hopetoun and surrounding surf breaks. Hailing from the Fitzgerald Biosphere, Jarvis has become a strong advocate for the rewards he reaps from growing up in a remote area of the South West Australian coast.  His photography not only reflects the ocean, but the storms, the bush, the birds and the lifestyle of this natural playground. Jarvis, who began his ocean photography with a GoPro has now worked his way up to selling his unique images online. 

Nathan McQuoid is intimately familiar with the principles of the UNESCO Fitzgerald Biosphere. With nearly 15 years of involvement in the concept, as former Chair of the FBCC, he has actively participated in numerous community events supporting the cause. Having lived in the region for over 35 years, Nathan began his career as a Ranger in the Fitzgerald River National Park. Today, he works as a Landscape ecologist and is an advocate for two-way science approaches, emphasising the importance of connecting both ‘our heads and hearts to the place’ through the integration of local Noongar knowledge and western science methods.

The evening is part of the annual WCP Civil Bloom Festival, which returns to the Great Southern this Spring (Djilba). As the Great Southern Treasures’ signature event, Bloom Festival provides an opportunity for communities to collaborate and celebrate ‘everything that blooms’ in the region.

Find out more about Bloom on the website: https://greatsoutherntreasures.com.au/bloom/