2018 WILD EYE
PHOTO COMPETITION

Snow Wombat Running

by Harrison Warne

Caption: It’s hard to believe this image was taken in the south coast region. After a large east-coast low dumped a load of snow on top of the escarpment I travelled to Mt Darrah where I captured this image.

Location: South-East Forest NP

(entry 093)

Lichen on rocks

by Max Campbell

Location: Games Bay

(entry 073)

Death Mosaic

by Harrison Warne

Caption: On the arrival of spring rain, tens of thousands of termites leave the nest in search of a new place to set up. The unfortunate reality is most will die long before finding such a place.

Location: Bega

(entry 094)

Butterfly - Ypthima arctous - Dusky Knight

by Max Campbell

Location: Double Creek - Brogo

(entry 075)

Sleep with one eye open

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Yellow Pinch

(entry 001)

How's the serenity?

by Leo Berzins

Caption: Bar-tailed Godwit (moulting into breeding plumage) enjoying a quiet moment at Merimbula Lake.

Location: Merimbula

(entry 046)

Three Willies

by Toni Ward

Caption: These three little Willie Wagtails left their nest the next day. All three are still thriving.

Location: Kameruka

(entry 045)

Litoria nudidigita

by Harrison Warne

Caption: I was surprised to find this leaf-green tree frog so late in the year, it was almost winter and the air and water was icy.

Location: South-east Forest NP

(entry 091)

Seal on bait ball

by Georgia Poyner

Caption: Australian fur seal rounding up a school of little bellowfish

Location: Narooma

(entry 112)

Herd of Hares

by Harrison Warne

Caption: An aggregation of sea hares in the blue pool, Bermagui.

Location: Blue Pool, Bermagui

(entry 133)

Gippsland Water Dragon

by Tess Poyner

Caption: Seeing these gorgeous male Water Dragons on Mummaga Lake is always such a highlight! I love when they're in having a swim and you are able to create an abstract image with the water patterns.

Location: Mummaga Lake

(entry 123)

Natural Collection

by Karen Buckland

Location: Bithry Inlet

(entry 053)

Salt Marsh Veins

by Teena Burnell

Caption: Like veins of mother nature winding through the salt marsh

Location: Panboola

(entry 023)

I am looking at you

by Liam Chandler

Location: Bournda National Park

(entry 017)

Kanji Squirt

by Liam Chandler

Caption: Sitting on the rocks on the northern end of the beach - I watched the Kanji continue to squirt after the swell had come in.

Location: Bournda National Park

(entry 020)

Godwit bathing

by Leo Berzins

Caption: Bar-tailed Godwit bathing in Merimbula Lake.

Location: Merimbula

(entry 048)

Redlead Roundhead

by Tess Poyner

Caption: A pair of Redlead Roundhead (Leratiomyces ceres), photographed while searching for mushrooms and Fungi in Narooma!

Location: Box Cutters Rainforest

(entry 125)

Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Willie Wagtail

by Leo Berzins

Caption: Willie Wagtail perching on the shoulder of an Eastern Grey Kangaroo at Panboola.

Location: Panboola

(entry 095)

by Toni Ward

Caption: Superb light enhancing the greens and golds of the flora, coupled with an amazing bird who was feeding, made for a striking combination that I nearly missed capturing!

New Holland Honeyeater.

Location: Eden

(entry 003)

Frilly Fungi

by Liz Allen

Location: Long Point, Merimbula

(entry 086)

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Kianini

(entry 004)

Morning Walk

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Yellow Pinch

(entry 005)

Spring Chicks

by Liam Chandler

Caption: I found a birds nest outside my nana's house - Four hungry chicks inside.

Location: Kalaru, NSW

(entry 021)

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Moon Bay

(entry 006)

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Goodenia Rainforest

(entry 007)

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: Exploring Corunna State Forest for tree hollows, enjoying the evening light play through the winter blooms.

Location: Corunna State Forest

(entry 008)

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Mogareeka

(entry 009)

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Panboola

(entry 010)

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Kianini

(entry 011)

by Naomi Shoobridge

Location: Panboola

(entry 012)

by Naomi Shoobridge

(entry 013)

by Liam Chandler

Location: Bournda National Park

(entry 014)

by Liam Chandler

Location: Kianini

(entry 015)

by Liam Chandler

Caption: Beautiful blue on the seaweed and black on the ramp.

Location: Kianini

(entry 016)

by Liam Chandler

Caption: Chased this Butterfly all over the place trying to get close enough to take a photo. Managed to sneak this shot.

Location: Bournda National Park

(entry 018)

by Liam Chandler

Caption: Love seeing the nice bright Orange colour in the grey bush.

Location: Bournda National Park

(entry 019)

by Liam Chandler

Caption: I loved the light colour of this Kangaroo. I watched it for a while and it started doing stretches.

Location: Bournda National Park

(entry 022)

Magical Micro Mushrooms

by Teena Burnell

Caption: These Micro Mushrooms look much more muchier

Location: Goodenia rainforest

(entry 024)

by Teena Burnell

Caption: This is my little mate that lives at my gate. It's spring and he's out and about looking for the ladies.

Location: Candelo

(entry 025)

by Liz Allen

Location: Merimbula Lake

(entry 026)

by Liz Allen

Location: Bermagui Blue Pool

(entry 027)

BioLume1

by Peter Whiter

Caption: A small wave excites the Bioluminescence as it gently kisses the shore.

Location: Cattle Bay Eden

(entry 028)

The Giants of Macquarie Street

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: Locals named this majestic stand of Spotted Gum the Giants of Macquarie Street and appointed a politician or a person of influence as Special Envoy to each tree and asked them to stand up to protect their tree against logging. A 70 year old retiree applied to Forestry Corp to have a community walk created amongst these centurions. He was told to come back and re-apply after the loggers cut them down.

Location: Corruna Forest

(entry 103)

by Peter Whiter

Caption: Dinghy and Bioluminescence

Location: Cattle Bay Eden

(entry 029)

by Peter Whiter

Caption: Bioluminescence interacting with timber wharf pylons

Location: Cattle Bay Eden

(entry 030)

The Golden Roo

by Teena Burnell

Caption: Number one golden rule is keep your distance

Location: Panboola

(entry 031)

Mossy Zen Garden

by Teena Burnell

Caption: Found a natural mossy zen garden a little bit off the beaten track

Location: Goodenia Rainforest

(entry 032)

Ant - Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus

by Max Campbell

Location: Brogo

(entry 033)

Gang Gang Munchies

by Teena Burnell

Caption: Noisy like a creaking gate yet so gorgeous

Location: Candelo

(entry 034)

by Teena Burnell

Caption: Basking in the glow of the morning sun

Location: Merimbula

(entry 035)

by Teena Burnell

Caption: So cute is this little white faced heron sunning himself in the warmth of the morning sun

Location: Top Lake, Merimbula

(entry 036)

by Tracey Harris

Caption: Photo taken early morning at the Panboola Wetlands

Location: Pambula

(entry 037)

by Tracey Harris

Location: Green Cape, Eden

(entry 038)

by Tracey Harris

Caption: Sea Eagle being chased by a plover near the Eden Lookout

Location: Eden

(entry 039)

Blue-banded Bee

by Tracey Harris

Location: Tura Beach

(entry 002)

by Tracey Harris

Caption: Baby seagull waiting for its parents

Location: Bermagui

(entry 040)

by Tracey Harris

Location: Tura Beach

(entry 041)

by Toni Ward

Caption: Mum was watchful and protective beneath her bub as it broke the surface and frolicked above, closing its eyes as it enjoyed the air and sunshine.

Location: Tura Beach

(entry 042)

Feed me!

by Toni Ward

Location: Kameruka

(entry 043)

Small Echidna Train

by Rhondda Williams

Caption: These two echidnas were foraging for ants among the tree roots. He was not going to let her out of his sight. It is spring!

Location: Beares Beach, Bermagui

(entry 130)

New Holland Honeyeater

by Toni Ward

Caption: I have always thought of these birds as little flying old paintings.

Location: Eden

(entry 044)

by Leo Berzins

Caption: Hooded Plover stretching its wings and looking like a butterfly from this angle.

Location: Tura Beach

(entry 047)

by Peter Harris

Caption: Lots fungi on the forest floor at this rainforest at South Pambula

Location: Goodenia rainforest

(entry 049)

Fur seal

by Peter Harris

Caption: As I sat on the rocks waiting to see a whale I noticed this small fur seal having a rest and giving me a few strange looks.

Location: Tura headland, NSW

(entry 050)

Humpback whale

by Peter Harris

Caption: Just one of the many migrating whale that pass us by each year

Location: Tura headland

(entry 051)

by Peter Harris

Caption: As we waited for a whale to pass by we watched this majestic sea eagle fly over.

Location: Tura headland

(entry 052)

Anemones with lurking crab

by Max Campbell

Caption: The rock pools on the Pulpit Rock platform are lacking in sheltering vegetation and rocky overhangs. This crab does its best among the anemones.

Location: Pulpit Rock, Green Cape

(entry 054)

by Liz Allen

Location: Tura garden

(entry 055)

by Steve Mills

Caption: Taken in our garden pre Tathra bushfire.

Location: Tathra

(entry 056)

by Steve Mills

Caption: Observed sitting proud atop a native frangipani.

Location: Tathra

(entry 057)

Wolf spider with babies on its back

by Tracey Harris

Caption: Walking along the track at the Panboola Wetlands when l noticed this spider as it came out of the grassy area onto the track where l was walking. I thought it was an unusual spider then through my lense realised it had lots of little babies on its back. I think it could be a wolf spider as they are the only ones to carry their babies. I took this photo yesterday afternoon around 6pm.

Location: Panboola Wetlands, Pambula

(entry 058)

Bird that tastes like fish

by Julie Fourter

Caption: Down the bottom of our driveway, a Peregrine Falcon decided to make his lunch of a seagull (with no chips)

Location: Eden

(entry 059)

Tern around

by Julie Fourter

Caption: Terns were making a meal of the garfish close into shore, just before the tuna hit them!

Location: Mowara

(entry 061)

by Julie Fourter

Caption: Sitting on our boat we witnessed a few tuna come within metres of the shore hunting garfish. The terns were also hunting the garfish - they are a much wanted fish!

Location: Mowara

(entry 060)

by Julie Fourter

Caption: A close up of the eye of a mulloway, or Jewfish as they are commonly called.

Location: Eden

(entry 062)

by Max Campbell

Location: Brogo

(entry 063)

Symbiosis

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: A shell found at Tura Head covered in barnacles (crustacean) and with a sea anemone (invertebrate) perched on top. I assume at some point there was a hermit crab living in the shell who was using the anemone to ward off attackers. A beautiful example of symbiosis.

Location: Tura Headland

(entry 064)

Black Beauty Of The Sky

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: I had been trying all year to get a nice photo of a Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo and finally found some eating in the trees at Haycock Point. They are one of my favourite birds and I just love the sound of their beautiful calls as they fly across the sky.

Location: Haycock Point

(entry 065)

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: A large bowl of Royal Spoonbills were feeding at Merimbula Lake in the evening. I had never really examined one up close before and fell in love with their vibrant yellow eye patch and funky hair style.

Location: Merimbula Lake

(entry 066)

Spectacular White-bellied Sea Eagle

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: I drove up to Short Point looking for whales but as I got out of the car I saw this amazing eagle flying over the pathway leading up to the point. I ripped my camera from my bag and ran up the path as these birds so often disappear in a flash. I got in front of it and was able to watch it soar towards me and then soar in front of the sun and finally disappear behind the cliffs. I didn't see any whales that day but felt lucky to see this White-bellied Sea Eagle instead!

Location: Short Point, Merimbula

(entry 067)

Rain Drops Keep Falling

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: Just out in the garden enjoying the rain when I came across this ladybird who had the same idea.

Location: Bega

(entry 068)

Violet Shell with travelling companions

by Liz Allen

Caption: Violet Bubble-snail (Jantina janthina) is often washed ashore in blue tide with Goose Barnacles (Lepas sp.) firmly attached.

Location: Tura beach shoreline

(entry 083)

Macro Moth

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: Found this moth chilling out in my lettuce plant on a rainy day. The head reminds me of a furry cow!

Location: Bega

(entry 069)

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: A beautiful humpback whale showing off its flukes. I had the privilege of watching this majestic beauty from on board True Blue with Merimbula Marina.

Location: Merimbula

(entry 070)

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: This photo was taken during a sunset trip with Merimbula Marina. The lighting from the setting sun was beautiful for photos as this adult female popped up to say hello. I love how you can see her eye and all the amazing barnacles. Her calf was copying her movements and it was beautiful to watch as the sun was going down.

Location: Merimbula

(entry 071)

by Jennifer Leayr

Caption: An adult female head lunging in front of a section of rainbow rock near Merimbula. A beautiful backdrop for such as beautiful creature.

Location: Merimbula

(entry 072)

Lichen on fence post

by Max Campbell

Location: Brogo

(entry 074)

Crab - Leptograpsus variegatus

by Max Campbell

Location: Potato Point

(entry 076)

by Max Campbell

Location: Green Cape

(entry 077)

Sacred Kingfisher

by Max Campbell

Location: Double Creek, Brogo

(entry 078)

Egernia saxatilis -Black rock skink

by Max Campbell

Location: Pulpit Rock

(entry 079)

Living on the edge

by Danielle Lynn

Location: Mirador

(entry 080)

by Liz Allen

Location: Tura Beach

(entry 081)

by Jennifer Halper

Caption: The stunning red on a pond at Bournda

Location: Bournda National Park

(entry 082)

by Liz Allen

Location: Tura

(entry 084)

Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo ... morning snack on Banksia serrata

by Liz Allen

Caption: Yellow-tailed black Cockatoo [Calyptorhychus funereus] with their very strong beaks like to feed on the cones of Banksia serrata. Was not concerned by my proximity!

Location: near Tura Headland

(entry 085)

Shallow Visitor

by Suzanne Hopkins

Caption: Intrigued by this marine creature found in the shallows at the Bega River. So many different tones and unusual markings which made it a very fascinating specimen on exploration of the local area.

Location: Bega River

(entry 087)

by Liz Allen

Location: Panboola

(entry 088)

by Harrison Warne

Caption: Birds are often photographed to show their habitat, behaviour, colour. I wanted to take this macro of a feather to detail the beauty of each and every individual feather.

Location: Panboola

(entry 089)

by Harrison Warne

Caption: A simple back-lit afternoon shot of a young eastern-grey in the golden light.

Location: Pambula-Merimbula Golf Club

(entry 090)

by Harrison Warne

Caption: It’s hard to believe this image was taken in the south coast region. After a large east-coast low dumped a load of snow on top of the escarpment, I travelled to Mt Darrah where I captured this image.

Location: South-East Forest NP

(entry 092)

by Leo Berzins

Location: Short Point, Merimbula

(entry 096)

Swamp Wallaby with joey

by Leo Berzins

Location: Picnic Point, Mimosa Rocks National Park

(entry 097)

Playground of the Masked Owl

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: Rob and I surveyed the inner streams of Corunna, trying to reveal her beauty in the best light. We were making a submission to have the Spotted Gums that fringe the creeks preserved for all time through a special walk that meandered along the banks. Little did we know at the time that this very pond was the pre-dawn playground of Corunna's infamous Masked Owl.

Location: Corunna Forest

(entry 098)

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: The first time David and I worked together, I drove him in to the forest to show him around, and he said Stop The Car I've seen a tree hollow. Then he said Wait - there's an owl in the tree. We watched the owl for a while as the birds were chasing it around. I came home to get the camera, took a trip up to Tilba to get petrol because we didn't have enough to make the round trip. Surprisingly, the owl was still sitting in the sun when we returned. Forestry offered us 20m around the owl's tree. And although David camped under the tree and we reported two owls flying in and out, this wasn't enough. We were given recording devices and told we had to get the sound as well, before anything could be saved. So he camped again, and gave me a recording of some sounds he thought may be of interest. In the background, I heard the owl. The tree was saved. It was a fortuitous day. Maybe they realised how hard we worked to pull this together. They gave us the best part of 100m of protected forest for an owl that wasn't even due for protection. We only wish the same was true for the Masked Owl we later found, which is entitled to protection, which it sadly never received.

Location: Corunna Forest

(entry 099)

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: I was talking on the phone to an EPA senior official when this little guy wandered dangerously close to the road - one of many over a few days.
"Hey - if you see an echidna close to the road, should you try and shoo it away?"
"I should know the answer to that shouldn't I".
"Um".
The echidnas seem to be perilously intrigued by the space between the gutter and the side of the road because they can really get in and poke around for the little insects fussing around in there.

Location: Mystery Bay

(entry 100)

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: A beached cuttlefish

Location: Mystery Bay

(entry 101)

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: A young whale making its third or fourth voyage south, though this journey came to an untimely end as its tail became entangled in lobster nets. Three young whales this season have washed upon the shores of the southern seas after marine debris got the better of them. It's time for humans to learn better ways to have a whale of a time.

Location: Tilba Beach

(entry 102)

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: Driving along a dirt road in Bodalla, see a daisy chain running up an ironbark tree - maybe 30ft off the ground. Drive 30km home to grab camera and return to have a closer look of these beautiful orchids with such fine, delicate florets, and know nature is telling us we have so much to learn, and so little time.

Location: Bodalla

(entry 104)

by Georgia Poyner

Location: Mummaga Lake

(entry 105)

by Georgia Poyner

Location: Box Cutting rainforest walk

(entry 106)

Fluffy

by Georgia Poyner

Caption: Huntsman spider portrait

Location: Dalmeny Headland

(entry 107)

Common Dolphin

by Georgia Poyner

Location: Narooma

(entry 108)

Frog

by Georgia Poyner

Caption: Came across this beautiful little frog whilst spotlighting around the creeks at Pebbly beach.

Location: Pebbly Beach

(entry 109)

by Georgia Poyner

Caption: Koala hanging about in the backyard

Location: Mallacoota

(entry 110)

by Georgia Poyner

Location: Mallacoota

(entry 111)

I am less than knee's height to a towering tree

by Elizabeth Walton

Caption: We were in the forest searching for Giant Trees. We didn't find any. After 30 years, the forest is still not recovered from harvest, and there are very few hollow trees or other signs of maturity that support life in the forest - especially the threatened species that try to call her home. Zoe raced ahead to hug a tree. She was surprised when she saw the image how large the tree was compared to her own form.

Location: Corunna State Forest

(entry 113)

by Julie Fourter

Caption: Lorikeets seem to know when a treat will be available from our front yard trees! Cheeky look around to see what is on offer this morning.

Location: Eden

(entry 114)

Red Pelicans

by Julie Fourter

Caption: I was photographing the red algae at the main wharf in Eden and some pelicans were hunting around the launching ramp. They are always foraging for fish frames and bits from cleaned fish, and didn't seem too perturbed about the red tide! Mind you, they didn't hang around long when they saw I had no fish!

Pelicans roam the Red Tide in Eden. It is an algae that grows certain times of the year when warm meets cold water. Probably also has a bit to do with nutrients in the water also.

Location: Twofold Bay, Eden

(entry 115)

by Julie Fourter

Caption: We enjoy flying our drone around the bay, experiencing different changes as the seasons change. First time we have been able to photograph the red algae from the air!

Location: Twofold bay, Eden

(entry 116)

Lace Monitor Claws

by Tess Poyner

Caption: I photographed this large Lace Monitor while kayaking on Mummaga Lake, Dalmeny. I was fascinated with how long his claws were for climbing!

Location: Mummaga Lake, Dalmeny

(entry 117)

by Tess Poyner

Caption: We were accompanied by a pod of whales while out photographing in our inflatable boat. This image shows tail of a small Humpback calf making a dive.

Location: Montague Island, NSW

(entry 118)

Mycena species

by Tess Poyner

Caption: This tiny Mycena species was photographed while doing macro photography at Box Cutters Rainforest in Narooma. I love the detail the macro lens is able to capture!

Location: Box Cutters Rainforest, Narooma

(entry 124)

Breaching Humpback

by Tess Poyner

Caption: A Humpback Whale breaching of the Coast of Narooma. It’s always such a special experience to see the Whales as they return from their long trip, especially when they’re playing and breaching alongside our boat!

Location: Montague Island, NSW

(entry 119)

by Tess Poyner

Caption: This image was taken of a beautiful White-Bellied Sea Eagle while boating one afternoon at Montague Island. The Island is a natural haven for birds and a breeding ground for many species.

Location: Montague Island Nature Reserve

(entry 120)

Flame Robin

by Tess Poyner

Caption: These small Flame Robins were flying in and out of long pieces of grass and other plants. I managed to capture this beautiful male Robin while he was still for a brief second!

Location: Bendethera National Park

(entry 121)

Giant Gumleaf Katydid

by Tess Poyner

Caption: This is a Giant Gumleaf Katydid that I photographed while doing macro photography! I love how much character he had as he positioned his legs in different places, the best things definitely come in small packages!

Location: Dalmeny Bush

(entry 122)

Bare-nosed Wombat

by Tess Poyner

Caption: I had an awesome camping trip at Bendethera National Park. I was lucky enough to have some very close experiences with the beautiful wombats!

Location: Bendethera National Park

(entry 126)

by Suzanne Hopkins

Caption: Visited The Pulpit on a beautiful winters day to discover a Diamond Python sunbaking on a tree.

Location: Green Cape National Park

(entry 127)

Magpie Mist After The Fires

by Suzanne Hopkins

Caption: Rose early to the morning sun struggling to break through the fog/mist two weeks after the devastating fires and ventured next door to the ruins of my neighbour’s house to discover a family of local magpies had returned to the area.

Location: Tathra

(entry 128)

by David Curtis

Caption: Hearing that Corunna State Forest was about to be logged I made the effort to visit and camp there. On my very first afternoon I spotted a Boobook Owl and was curious to see what might be caught on camera at night. This Masked Owl was captured on camera 11 days after logging had begun and despite its small range Forestry would make no provision for it at Corunna unless its nest or roost was found. This very bird has become emblematic of the campaign to stop the logging of this particular native forest.

Location: Corunna State Forest

(entry 129)

by Harrison Warne

Caption: One week after the devastation of the Tathra bushfires I expected the forest to be deathly quiet, however it was quite the opposite. Parrots moved through the bush feeding on the shea-oak seeds which had been opened by the head of the fire.

Location: Tathra

(entry 131)

by Harrison Warne

Caption: A group of pelicans sit on the shore of the Bega river as the sun rises overhead.

Location: Mogareeka

(entry 132)

Goanna

by Elizabeth Walton

Location: South-east Forest National Park

(entry 134)