Gabriella Vukman
Whilst the days are gradually growing longer, folks from the Upper Yarra Community Branches are enjoying leafing through the submissions for this year’s Upper Yarra Community Calendar Competition.
Having opened again and taking submissions until 1 September, the ‘My Upper Yarra’ competition is once again creating a common ground for the local community.
The competition, run by the Bendigo Bank Community Branches, is open to all age groups and features an array of prizes ranging from the community voted ‘people’s choice’ awards to the favourites among judges and branch staff. The competition even features a runner up and winner category for under 18s.
Community Bank board administrator and community liaison June Petrie shares a fondness for the competition and said “the focus is on the online exhibition and more about ‘let’s get as many people involved as possible’.”
Ms Petrie expresses the ”warm fuzzy feeling” she feels upon seeing all of the submissions and how every photo has multiple experiences behind and attached to it.
From participants who send copies of “our calendar…to [relatives] in England,” to families “getting the kids to go out and take their photos”, the opportunity for individuals to find and be inspired by the beauty of their local area and community talent is great for bringing the community together.
The competition has also served as a platform for up and coming photographers with a participant who received an award going on to receive a cadetship with the AFL for photography.
“We’ve had…participants [who] have a passion for photography and who are wanting to do photography as a career path,” Ms Petrie said.
The competition ran for the first time in 2013 and has since then been gaining more and more support from the community.
Transitioning from a physical walk-through exhibition to an online platform during Covid, the competition has become more accessible to the community, with the engagement of an ever-widening variety of participants.
Appearing on the judging panel among a series of photographers this year is Yarra Ranges Council Mayor Jim Child who will aid in the selection process of the judge’s choice prizes.
All entered pictures can be viewed and voted for via the online exhibition on the Upper Yarra Community website (link below) and winners will be announced on 8 September.
Competition entries are also accessible via the website, with conditions maintaining that photos must be taken within the Warburton and Yarra Junction postcode ranges.
Entrants must also either live, study or work in this same area. Photo entries must be a minimum of 300kb so as these images can be printed in high quality for the calendar should they win.
The top 12 winning pictures will be assembled to create a free calendar that will be available to collect from the Warburton and Yarra Junction Bendigo Bank branches on 1 December.
The Upper Yarra Calendar Competition has come a long way since its founding and provides a momentous opportunity for the community to unite, share and celebrate the beauty of the Upper Yarra Valley.
“[It is] inspiring that people are sharing their take… on what’s attractive about and why they love where they live,” Ms Petrie said.
For more information visit the Upper Yarra Community website at: https://upperyarra.net.au/upper-yarra-2024-calendar-competition-and-online-exhibition/
