Explore Our Great Outdoors Summer Photo Competition

The Explore Our Great Outdoors Summer Photo Competition is open to individuals with a connection to Lake Macquarie.

The competition is open to adults, and to school aged children (Kindergarten through to year 12) with permission from their parent/guardian.

Photos can be submitted in one of the following competition category themes:

• Things that grow and move (the flora, fauna, and fungi of Lake Mac)
• Our Great Outdoors (your favourite landscapes, waterways, seascapes and natural environments in Lake Mac)

Participants can enter one photo per category (maximum of two photos in total). The categories have a student and adult division. 

Entries must be originals, captured in Lake Macquarie local government area between 1 December 2024 and 17 January 2025.

All submissions must be photographs and be free of borders, watermarks or signatures.

Photographers are obliged to get an approval (image release) from any subject whose face is clearly visible/identifiable in the picture.

Photos may be edited, however organisers encourage photographs that have been altered as little as possible.

Image specifications:

• Sized between 1MB (minimum) and 10MB (maximum)
• JPG, PNG are the accepted file types
• HEIC is not accepted, so iPhone users should check out their default file saving here: How to Convert HEIC to JPG on iPhone (lifewire.com)

Copyright remains the property of the photographer. Competition entrants’ submitted photos may be shared by Council on the following platforms:

• Council managed social media platforms over summer 2023/2024
• Eco Advocate e-bulletin
• Lake Mac’s website
• Explore Our Great Outdoors promotional material

Anytime a photo is shared the photographer will be credited (with their approval). Council will strive to retain the integrity of your photo (i.e., it won’t be warped, stretched or coloured), but may be cropped to fit some applications.

There is no guarantee that submitted photos will get distributed or promoted.

And if you’d like to share your photos on Instagram, you’re welcome to use #discoverlakemac and tag @ourlakemac

Local photographer David Diehm will be judging the photo competition. Photographs will be judged by how well they:

• Embody the competition themes
• Encourage environmental stewardship
• Are composed

Things that grow and move (the flora, fauna, and fungi of Lake Mac) – Student

• GoPro 12 action cam (RRP $474)
• Framed print of artwork
• Sami Bayly book collection

Things that grow and move (the flora, fauna, and fungi of Lake Mac) – Adult

• GoPro 12 action cam (RRP $474)
• Framed print of artwork
• $100 Anaconda Voucher

Our Great Outdoors (your favourite landscapes, waterways, seascapes and natural environments in Lake Mac) – Child

• GoPro 12 action cam (RRP $474)
• Framed print of artwork
• Sami Bayly book collection

Our Great Outdoors (your favourite landscapes, waterways, seascapes and natural environments in Lake Mac) – Adult

• GoPro 12 action cam (RRP $474)
• Framed print of artwork
• $100 Anaconda Voucher 

The terms and conditions can be viewed by clicking below.

Terms and conditions(PDF, 70KB)