Birdlife Art Awards open to celebrate 10 years of creativity and
Published on 03 August 2025
Kevin Young has won the Birdlife Art Awards biggest prize for their outstanding piece, "Brolga", which captivated judges with its creativity, technique, and connection to Hinchinbrook’s birdlife.
More than 280 people gathered to celebrate Hinchinbrook Shire Council’s 10th Birdlife Art Awards at the TYTO Regional Art Gallery on Friday night, 1 August 2025.
This milestone event continues to celebrate the rich birdlife of the Hinchinbrook region through the eyes of talented artists from across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This year’s exhibition features an impressive 106 entries across a variety of mediums, including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media
Cr Donna Marbelli, Council’s Community and Culture Service Portfolio holder, said each piece showcases bird species found in Hinchinbrook plus the iconic TYTO Wetlands, home to over 230 bird species, to the broader natural landscapes that inspire our local creatives.
“The Birdlife Art Awards are more than just an art competition,” Cr Marbelli said. “They’re a celebration of our environment, our community, and the incredible talent we have in our backyard.”
The event is proudly supported by our valued sponsors, each of whom has chosen a specific award category to sponsor:
- Open Award sponsored by Windlab – Kevin Young: Brolga
- Local Artist Award sponsored by Guido’s Panel and Paint – Sharon Cislowski: What the water knows
- Youth Award sponsored by Ingham Real Estate - Esther-Rose McCaul: Black Cockatoo
- Painting (2D) sponsored by Bisson’s Electrical – Kristina Fontana: Peewee Afterparty
- Watercolour sponsored by Frosty Mango – Sahan Kulathunge: The Black Beauty
- Mixed Media sponsored by Jenark Business Solutions – Diane Beningfield: Terrible Trio
- Works on Paper – Amy Venn: The Bathers
- Photography sponsored by Wilmar Sugar and Renewables – Stan Skeates: Pull the other one
- Creamics – Meg Allford: Backyard Visitor
- Sculptural Form sponsored by KDM Allsorts – Fran Nason: Cockatoo Sunrise
Cr Marbelli said Council was grateful to the sponsors and local businesses whose generous support helped bring the Birdlife Art Awards to life.
Voting for the People’s Choice Award sponsored by Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto will remain open until the close of the exhibition with the winner of this category announced on Wednesday 3 September 2025.
To vote, please visit the TYTO Regional Art Gallery.
The 10th Hinchinbrook Birdlife Art Awards will be on display daily from 10.00am to 4.00pm until Saturday 30 August 2025.