Queensland's stunning Channel Country landscape will be showcased to the world, thanks to an image by western Queensland photographer Lisa Alexander, which has won a national award.
Ms Alexander's drone shot that captures the patterns made by flooding in the channels at Windorah was this week announced the winner of the nature/landscape section of the Australian Star Prize for Rural Photography, managed by the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists.
It will now go on to contest the section at the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists world congress in Canada in June.
The photograph was judged best landscape photo and then overall Queensland Rural Photo of the Year at the Rural Press Club of Queensland media awards last December, after it had been published in the Bush Journal magazine.
Ms Alexander, who lives on a property outside Blackall, said she was thrilled with the win.
"Thank you to all involved, and congratulations to all the entrants in each section," she said. "I am truly humbled and grateful to be showcasing, in my small way, this bloody amazing country we live in."
A photograph of a leaping lamb by South Australian photographer Jacqui Bateman took out the overall Australian Star Prize for Rural Photography.
"The judges praised the balance, brightness, composition and movement of this expertly captured image that clearly showed the skill of a photographer who is no stranger to the paddock or the yards," ACAJ president Kallee Buchanan said.
Other winners of Australia's top prizes for rural journalism included ABC Landline's Halina Baczkowski, who won the Australian Star Prize for Rural Broadcasting for her story celebrating an online community that highlights the contribution people with disabilities make in the agricultural sector.
The story, which also won the national video category, had earlier been judged the Queensland Rural Story of the Year.
Ms Buchanan said the judges found the story original and practical.
"They complimented Halina's choice to highlight a unique and key issue for the sector, through the people living and working in agriculture with a disability," she said. "The judges noted the themes have national and international significance for farming, and the story was well placed to create genuine change."
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The other major journalism prize, the Australian Star Prize for Rural Writing, was won by The Australian newspapers national rural reporter Charlie Peel and chief political correspondent Geoff Chambers, for their story Methane pledge hit for farmers.
"The judges were impressed by the skillful way the reporters covered a complex international issue, making the impact relevant to the Australian audience," Ms Buchanan said.
Congratulating the award winners, Rabobank group executive Country Banking Australia Marcel van Doremaele said this year's three winners once again demonstrated the excellent quality of rural journalism in Australia and the great diversity of issues in the country's rural sector.
"They are testament to the important role rural journalism serves in telling the story of people and issues in rural and regional Australia," he said. "Rabobank is pleased to be supporting Australian rural journalism through this significant award."
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
