Students from around the State have learnt and relayed important lessons about the natural world using cameras and captions in our annual Chevron Focus Environment competition
Bucketloads of brilliant young snappers have once again captured stunning shots of WA’s incredible biodiversity while learning about the importance of protecting it, in our annual Chevron Focus Environment competition. Hoping to win one of many cash prizes on offer across four age categories and three environmental ones, students from kindergarten to Year 12 ventured outdoors to capture birds, sealife, plants, ants, beaches, a bath and more, and then composed thoughtful captions to raise awareness about our responsibilities towards the natural world.
Judges considered both photos and captions equally in determining the best entries. Congratulations to all winners, in particular Ebony Barker from Australian Christian College Southlands, who won four awards, and Blake Fields from Walliston Primary School who bagged three.
West Coast Secondary ESC excelled once again, claiming five prizes, the most of any school. Accolades must also go to Walliston Primary School and South West John Calvin Christian College, which received four apiece.
Check out the winning images below
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years 7-10, 1st place
Zac Chamberlain, West Coast Secondary Esc
Upside Down: This Bull Ant looks carefree but was busily working with others creating a habitat for the colony of ants.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 7-10, 1st place
Amelia Sansoni, St Marys College Broome
Rockledge Coral: Photo of Invertebrate Filter Feeders. Scientific name: Ascidiacea. Commonly known as Sea Squirts. Photo taken at Broome Port on low tide. Found in shallow water with salinities over 2.5%.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 3-6, 3rd place
Kaleenda Pearson, Quinns Rocks Primary School
Beautiful Banksia: This is a Banksia Nivea. Another name for it is a Honeypot Dryandra. Its Noongar Aboriginal name is Bulgalla.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 11-12, 3rd place
Boyd Heyden, West Coast Secondary Esc
Attention Seeker: Honey eaters are native. They make a loud sound and this one is eating off a native banksia.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years K-2, 2nd place
Claudia Fields, Walliston Primary School
New Trees Grow: When a tree is cut down, it is important to plant more. We need lots of trees and plants to have a healthy planet.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years K-2, 3rd place
Ziva Cheffings, Frankland River Primary School
Soft Fungi: This fungi looks like it would feel soft.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years K-2, 3rd place
Carter Kramer, South West John Calvin Christian College
Bush “Highway”: This wooden pathway leads through the bush reserve, helping to protect the plants.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 11-12, 1st place
Will Wardle, Christ Church Grammar School
The Release: People help introduce new species to Dirk Hartog, as part of the return to 1616 project, creating an ark for endangered animals.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years K-2, 1st place
Carter Kramer, South West John Calvin Christian College
The Nodding Red Flower: This nodding red flower is called a Southern Diplolaena. It is special because it only grows in Western Australia.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 7-10, 3rd place
Amelia Hunt, Duncraig Shs
Pretty Politics: Here stands our State floral emblem, overlooking Parliament House, where important decisions are made to protect the habitats and biodiversity of our unique State.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 3-6, 3rd place
Chelsea Watson, St Marks Anglican Com School Jnr School
Rings of Blue.: Deadly as it is beautiful, this blue ringed octupuse found washed up on a popular beach and carefuly relocated to a Kalbarri rock pool.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 3-6, 3rd place
Sierra Kramer, South West John Calvin Christian College
Leave Only Footprints: The only thing we should leave behind when we visit the beach, is our footprints.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 11-12, 1st place
Sam Connor, John Curtin College Of The Arts
Midnight Snack: After a busy night feeding on small fish, this Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) rests before returning to its daytime roost on the Bicton foreshore.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years K-2, 2nd place
Levi Ashard, Gooseberry Hill Primary School
Lunch time: The gumtree is a safe home for the caterpillar and it gives him food to grow.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years 3-6, 1st place
AJ Greenhalgh, Eden Hill Primary School
A place to call HOME : past and future generations: Kalbarri National Park is over 540 million years old and home to over 200 animals,150 birds and 800 wild flower species.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years 7-10, 3rd place
Julian van den Dolder, South West John Calvin Christian College
Quininup falls: Quinnninup Falls supports a wide range of different species and ecosystems. Its a diverse environment which supplies the environment with water and nutrients.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 7-10, 2nd place
Gabrielle Crowley, Bunbury Catholic College (Marist Campus)
My WA days: I’m a red-tailed cockatoo, my population is decreasing. there are less and less of me in WA, I’m loud because I want you and my family to know I am here.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 11-12, 2nd place
Sam Connor, John Curtin College Of The Arts
Back From the Brink: Despite almost being hunted to extinction by early settlers, the Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) populations in Esperance are healthy thanks to increased conservation of offshore habitats.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 3-6, 1st place
William Thorne, All Saints College Jnr School
Southern Giants of a Different Nature: The eco-friendly turbines of Albany’s giant wind farm offers a spectacular view.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 7-10, 1st place
Amelia Hunt, Duncraig Shs
Plastic Vision: By the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. One person CAN make a difference. So what are you doing?
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years K-2, 2nd place
Blake Fields, Walliston Primary School
Donkey Orchid: On a bush walk I saw lots of Donkey Orchids. They are my favourite wildflower. We must remember not to pick them.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 7-10, 2nd place
Ebony Barker, Australian Christian College Southlands
Nature’s Reflections: I captured this gorgeous slender tree frog as he sat glancing and admiring his own reflection. During mating season he makes himself very well known.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 7-10, 2nd place / Harry Butler Award
Ebony Barker, Australian Christian College Southlands
Windy Days: Wind farms are not only beautiful to look at, they are an important resource to power our homes.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 7-10, 3rd place
Tom Casey-Trinder, West Coast Secondary Esc
The Predator strikes: The introduced Kookaburra had a significant sustainability impact on some wildlife in WA, but now considered a Naturalised species, seen here capturing a Bearded Dragon.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 11-12, 3rd place
Claire Dzieciol, West Coast Secondary Esc
Magnificent: The Red Tailed Cockatoo is endangered because of habitat loss. measures to help sustainability are in place by the WA government.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 3-6, 2nd place
Ashley Doney, Quinns Rocks Primary School
Steps For All: These old steps after so many years still protect the young surroundings
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years 7-10, 2nd place
Ebony Barker, Australian Christian College Southlands
The Welcome Home Swallow: “Welcome Swallows” have made these incredible nests under a cement bridge found at our lake. Busily constructed from the mud.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years 3-6, 2nd place
Rosette Del Rosario, Karridale Primary School
Ocean Eyes: Hi I’m Mr Crab I live on the river banks of Augusta. My family and friends live here too. We should take responsibility of taking good care and love the environment so that there’s a place for us to live.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years K-2, 3rd place
Blake Fields, Walliston Primary School
Crab Protection: Rock pools protect small animals like this crab. The crab can hide and find food here safely.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years 3-6, 3rd place
Maria Gourley, St Emilies Catholic Primary
Bark and blossoming plants: Among the bark there are plants beginning to grow and bloom. All thanks to the source sunlight.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years K-2, 1st place
Blake Fields, Walliston Primary School
Clever Web Home: Spiders can build webs in tricky places like between this barbed wire fence. The morning dew made this web easy to see.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 7-10, 3rd place
Emma Nalder, Willetton Shs
Master of Disguise: A permanent resident of Herdsman Lake, this Tawny Frogmouth is almost impossible to spot in his favourite tree.
FOCUS ON: WA’S HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS, Years 11-12, 1st place
Luan de Mooij, John Calvin Christian College Armadale
William Bay, Western Australia: Denmark and our South-West region is home to one of the world’s most vibrant sources of fauna, including the famous Blue Fairy-Wren, and Humpback Whale.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 3-6, 1st place
Amy Gauntlett, Rostrata Primary School
Silky Blue Orchid in front of a burnt tree stump: This natural wonder is rare and needs to be kept there for everyone to see. I found this on the Bibbulmun Track.
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years K-2, 1st place
August Graham, Parkerville Primary School
Frog Pond: An old bath in the school vegie patch makes a great frog pond.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 11-12, 2nd place
Claire Dzieciol, West Coast Secondary Esc
Yellow Beauty: This female Forest Red-Tail Black Cockatoo is endemic to WA. Numbers have drastically reduced to endangered levels. We need to look after our native animals.
FOCUS ON: WA’S NATIVE SPECIES, Years 3-6, 2nd place
Zenn Tootill, Dardanup Primary School
Australian Magpie: The Australian Magpies live in groups called charms and have beautiful carolling songs. When they fly, they sometimes glide. They are protective of their young.
Harry Butler Award
This prestigious prize is named in honour of multi-award winning West Australian naturalist and environmental consultant, Harry Butler, who passed away in 2015.
In a remarkable feat, talented shutterbug Ebony Barker from Australian Christian College Southlands has potted back-to-back Harry Butler Awards after one of her photos was selected for a second year by a Chevron representative. The company’s Senior Environmental Advisor, Johann Van Der Merwe judged the image to be most “Harry-like”.
The image reflects Harry Butler’s legacy which celebrates the co-existence of business and biodiversity, according to Mr Van Der Merwe. “In the photo we see the wind that drives our climate, the wind that drives the low pressure systems that see clouds form and, in turn, our rain. In turn, so necessary for our farming economy,” he says. “The same system drives our renewable energy generation, the wind turbines, which reduces our carbon footprint. The fog creates the image of the energy flows in the environment and, in a way, the dark clouds in the background look ominous — a reminder for us to get our energy economy right. Lastly to spot the paraglider sitting in the wind sums up the concept of coexistence. We conserve our resources, meaning the wise use of them, so that we can safeguard our environment, our economy and our life style.”
Mr Van Der Merwe describes the photo as “a brilliant combination shot with good artistic flair.”
Ebony says her family often walk around the wind farm. “It’s really beautiful and there is something very peaceful about it,” she says. She is very excited to have won the Harry Butler Award. “There are so many amazing photos to choose from and it is a real privilege to receive acknowledgement, especially when photography is one of my favourite things to do.”
FOCUS ON: SUSTAINABILITY IN WA, Years 7-10, 2nd place / Harry Butler Award
Ebony Barker, Australian Christian College Southlands
Windy Days: Wind farms are not only beautiful to look at, they are an important resource to power our homes.
Lyn Beazley Encouragement Award
2015 WA Australian of the Year and former WA Chief Scientist, Professor Lyn Beazley was filled with admiration at the standard of the images and captions in this year’s contest.
“I am thrilled by the way our young people have captured in their photographs the wonders of our natural environment, full of amazing plants and animals within unique ecosystems and brilliant scenery,” Professor Beazley says. “I am particularly impressed yet again by entries for the Lyn Beazley Encouragement Award, many that display true photographic excellence and imaginative composition.”
Judges selected these students as winners of this year’s Lyn Beazley Encouragement Award:
Kasey Crawford, Year 9, West Coast Secondary ESC
William Kendell, Year 10, West Coast Secondary ESC
Amitiel Kiszko, Year 10, West Coast Secondary ESC
Nathan, Year 12, West Coast Secondary ESC
Nicholas Koina, Year 9, West Coast Secondary ESC
Fletcher Jessett, Year 11, West Coast Secondary ESC
Christian Pelle, Year 10, West Coast Secondary ESC
Chevron Australia is proud to support the Chevron Focus Environment competition as a way of raising awareness among students about protecting and managing the environment.
