Living with the River PHOTO COMPETITION

Capture an image of what ‘Living with the River’ looks like for you for a chance to win a share of the $5,000 prize pool.

A hand holding a smartphone, capturing a photo of a small dog lying on a sandy beach, with other printed photos scattered on the wooden surface beneath the phone.

Living with the River Exhibitions

The “Living with the River“ photo exhibition launched at Penrith Regional Gallery on Saturday, 22 March celebrating the beauty and resilience of people and places in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. With over 600 entries to our photo competition, the exhibition showcases a selection of stunning images that capture the river’s natural beauty, cultural significance and sheer power.

These images tell compelling stories of how we live, work, and play by the river, highlighting the community’s deep connection to the waterway known as the Nepean, Hawkesbury, and Dyarubbin. They also share a powerful message of hope and strength for people living in areas at risk of flood.

These two exhibitions help raise awareness of our work to reduce flood risk in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley through the state’s first Disaster Adaptation Plan.

Visit the Living with the River exhibition at Penrith Regional Gallery exhibition until 11 May 2025 or at Hawkesbury Central Library Branch in Windsor from 15 April to 30 September 2025.

View the exhibition booklet (PDF 895.52KB)

Mark your calendars for a special exhibition viewing and talk that will delve deeper into the river’s significance and history. Join us for “Flood History from the Dreamtime to Now” on Thursday, 19 June, from 6pm to 8pm at Hawkesbury Central Library, Windsor.                

Postcard depicting kayaker on misty river
On this page

Living with the River Photo Competition Prize Winners

Open

Winner

An electrician is standing waist deep in flood water attempting to get the power back up and running.

 

Highly Commended

A flooded Hawkesbury River at dawn, with a herd of cattle in the foreground on raised land.

 

The Hawkesbury-Nepean river at Yarramundi with people taking advantage of the public holiday and spending the day swimming.
Semi-Professional

Winner

A woman and her dog sit on the banks of the Hawkesbury River during a sunset, with the sky reflected in the water.

 

Highly Commended

A young girl sits on a pile of stones at the river's edge, looking as the sun sets towards the west and behind the mountains.
Primary School

Winner

A young smiling girl at the front of a boat looks back at the photographer while the river opens up in front of the boat.

 

Highly Commended

Two shadowy figures stand in the shallows of the Hawkesbury River as the sunset sky produces colours of blue, yellow and orange.
Secondary School

Winner

A person barefoot standing on a rock with the river flowing underneath them.

 

Highly Commended

A stormy sky produces a rainbow over the Hawkesbury-Nepean River
AI

Winner

The river with extreme and violent currents of water at Yarramundi with a bridge and trees in the background.
People's Choice

Winner

A young boy sits on the back of a boat, with a lifejacket on, while two people on a tube are being towed on the river.

Runner-Up

A pelican sits on a submerged log in a river.

Second Runner-Up

A person barefoot standing on a rock with the river flowing underneath them.

Celebrating the river

Known as Dyarubbin, the Hawkesbury-Nepean River holds spiritual significance for many, is a lifeblood for farmers, inspiration for artists, a place to play and relax and much loved for its spectacular beauty. It also wreaks havoc through the devastating force of floods. This competition showcases all aspects of the mighty river and gave entrants a chance to win a share of the $5,000 prize pool.

A vintage black and white photograph of a group of people by a riverbank with a canoe, set against the backdrop of a metal truss bridge and trees.

$5,000 in prizes across multiple categories

With over $5,000 in prizes, there’s something for everyone – from students to seasoned photographers. The categories are: 

Category

Prizes

Primary school

1st Prize $150 gift card, highly commended $100 gift card

Secondary school

1st Prize $200 gift card, highly commended $100 gift card + a chance for your school to win a photography workshop valued at $2,200!

Open

1st Prize $300 gift card, highly commended $150 gift card 

Semi-professional

1st Prize $500 gift card, highly commended $250 gift card 

AI Generated Images

1st Prize $200 gift card

People’s Choice

$500 gift card, Runner up $250 gift card, 2nd runner up $100 gift card

Key dates

  • 15 April 2025
    Hawkesbury Central Library, Windsor exhibition opens
  • 11 May 2025
    Penrith Regional Gallery exhibition closes
  • 19 June 2025
    Special event Flood History from the Dreamtime to Now at Hawkesbury Central Library, Windsor

  • 30 September 2025
    Hawkesbury Central Library exhibition closes

     

A dog standing on a foggy riverbank, looking towards the camera, with a misty background of water, driftwood, and a faint sun breaking through the haze.

Frequently asked questions

How do I enter?

Photographs can be submitted by clicking the ‘Upload Photo’ link and entering the details specified in the upload form. You will automatically be registered for the competition when you upload your photograph and will receive a confirmation email. 

What format does my photograph need to be in?

In order to be suitable for publication, photographs that are submitted must be of high resolution in JPEG (.jpg) format. The file needs to be a minimum 2000 pixels on longest side for website uploads and a maximum 3500 pixels at max 10MB in size. NOTE: Large files may take some time to load, depending on your internet speed – please be patient when uploading.

How many images can I enter?

Up to 5 images per person. 

Can I include people in my photograph?

Yes, but you must have the permission of any identifiable people in your photograph to enter the competition and for the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) to publish the image. It is your responsibility to get this permission. 

Can I use my phone to take the photograph?

Yes. Images taken on a phone or camera will be accepted.

When will the winners be announced?

We are hoping to announce the winners by the end February 2025. Entrants who have placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd will be notified by email and a phone call using the details disclosed on the entry form. The winners’ names and their winning entry will also be published on this website and RA Facebook and LinkedIn pages. 

What are the prizes?
  • Primary school
    1st Prize $150 gift card, highly commended $100 gift card
  • Secondary school
    1st Prize $200 gift card, highly commended $100 gift card + a chance for your school to win a photography workshop valued at $2,200!
  • Open
    1st Prize $300 gift card, highly commended $150 gift card
  • Semi-professional
    1st Prize $500 gift card, highly commended $250 gift card
  • AI Generated Images
    1st Prize $200 gift card
  • People’s Choice
    $500 gift card, Runner up $250 gift card, 2nd runner up $100 gift card
How will the competition be judged?

The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. The judging panel includes two senior NSW Reconstruction Authority staff and a professional photographer.

Will all entries be displayed on the Facebook Page/album?

Photographs will not be publicly displayed on Facebook until approved by the RA. Photographs will generally be approved within 1-3 days of submission. If the RA do not consider the photograph suitable for the competition it will not be approved.

Can I submit a cropped photograph?

Yes.

Can my photograph be black and white?

Yes, and colour photographs changed to black and white are acceptable for submission.

Can I submit a historical photograph?

Yes, and you must have permission for any identifiable people if featured. 

Who has copyright of the submitted photograph?

The copyright of each entry submitted remains with the photographer, however, the RA reserve the right to use any entry in publicly available documents and for promotional purposes and at no charge.

Get in touch

Please send any questions or feedback to
hnv_dap@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au 

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