Winners announced

The winners in the inaugural Friends of Mason Park photography competition were announced on October 8 and their certificates were presented by Karen Pensabene, Mayor of Strathfield, in a small awards ceremony at the wetland on October 25.

Lennis Lim’s photo of a Brown Honeyeater, Rare Visitor, was awarded first place by our judges who said the portrait ‘has good composition, beautiful colours and sharpness, with details such as pollen on its beak, showing the honeyeater feeds on the nectar of Chilean jessamine flowers’.

Second place was awarded to Johnny Choi for Busy Mom, an ‘excellent action/behaviour shot’ of a Magpie Lark feeding her three open-mouthed chicks. And Vincent Sammartino took out third place for Flying Jewel, his impressive portrait of a Superb Fairy Wren.

The judges were so impressed by the quality of the entries that they awarded four other photographs highly commended status. Photographers Jonathon Gu (two awards), Julius Doroy and Phil Cargill will receive their certificates this week.

Gerry Duane, avid bird-watcher and co-founder of Friends of Mason Park Wetland, said the organisation was delighted by the number and quality of entries in its inaugural photography competition and that it would definitely become an annual event. ‘We might even exhibit the entries in the Ironbark Gallery next year, if we are able to secure the space. But we’ll always publish the photos on our website to help increase the awareness of the wider community about the importance and fragility of biodiversity at Mason Park Wetland,’ he said.

You can see the winners, highly commended and all other entries on our website here.

[Image of Karen Penabene (Mayor, Strathfield Council), Lennis Lim (Winner) and Teresa Russell (Friends of Mason Park Wetland) ©Gerry Duane]