The competition was open to students studying in Year 3 to Year 12 at Australian schools or colleges, or undertaking home study in Australia.
The Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra is one of the world’s most precious collections of Australian plants, which is valuable for the community and for scientific research. This competition is an excellent opportunity for students to become aware of the value and beauty of the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) and, by exercising their photographic skills, to share that beauty with other visitors.
All entries had to be digital photographs taken by the student within the ANBG between 30 August 2024 and 29 August 2025, featuring some aspect of the Gardens such as plants, wildlife or scenery. Photographs must not have included a person who is recognisable from the image.
Information about the 2025 Photographic Competition, and winning entries from earlier competitions, can be viewed at https://www.friendsanbg.org.au/activities_schoolsphotocomp.
For further information please email: schoolphoto@friendsanbg.org.au.
Entries
The competition was open to students studying in Year 3 to Year 12 at Australian schools or colleges, or undertaking home study in Australia.
Entries were to be lodged using the online entry form, which was available only during the competition period between 1 July and 29 August 2025.
Photographs had to be in jpg format, with a maximum size of 10MB. Selected images will be printed at A3 size for exhibition and must be large enough to reproduce clearly (see under 'Entry requirements' below).
The competition closed on Friday 29 August 2025.
Winning entries will be on display in the ANBG's Banksia Garden from Saturday 27 September to Sunday 26 October 2025. All entries will be on display on the video wall opposite the Visitor Centre during the October school holidays.
Encouraging participation
We welcome entries co-ordinated by schools and colleges: individual entries from students will also be accepted.
Download the 2025 Student Photo Competition poster (PDF, 4.33 MB) to print, distribute and display.
Download ‘Tips and tricks for great nature photos’ (PDF, 135 KB), which younger or less experienced photographers may find helpful.
Group excursions to the ANBG can be arranged; no charges apply. Bookings are essential and are made using this link: For schools | Australian National Botanic Gardens
If you are looking for places to walk in the Gardens, try the following for some ideas:
- Flowers Fruit and Foliage https://friendsanbg.org.au/FlowersFruitFoliage
- Aboriginal Plant Use Trail Walk https://visit.anbg.gov.au/things-do/walks-tours/aboriginal-plant-use-trail-walk/
- Eucalypt Discovery Walk https://visit.anbg.gov.au/things-do/walks-tours/eucalypt-discovery-walk/
- Daily Guided Walks are at 11am and 2pm each day.
Please ensure that all students understand and adhere to the following Visitor Code:
- Keep to the paths
- Take rubbish home with you
- Do not pick living material
- Do not feed wildlife
- Do not climb rocks, trees or walls
- No ball games, frisbees or kites
Entry categories
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Secondary schools & colleges |
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Primary schools |
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Cropping, straightening, exposure adjustment and minor technical adjustments are permitted in all categories.
Each student is allowed one entry per category (up to 3 entries in total for secondary students and 2 entries for primary students).
Prizes and awards
Cash prizes will be awarded for places in each category:
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Award to student |
Award to school or college |
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First Prize |
$250 |
$200 and a native plant for the school or college's garden |
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Second Prize |
$150 |
$100 |
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Third Prize |
$100 |
$50 |
Certificates may also be presented for entries commended by the competition judges.
Entry requirements
The online entry form at www.friendsanbg.org.au/schoolscomp2025 was available only during the competition period between 1 July and 29 August 2025.
Entrants must provide the following information:
- Their name
- Their year in school or college
- An email address (see under ‘Privacy’ below)
- The name of their school or college, and an email address and phone number to contact there
- A brief title for each photograph entered.
The photographs entered must be uploaded as digital image files via the online form. The files should be in jpg format and have a maximum size of 10MB. They should have sufficient resolution (number of pixels) to present well to the judges and to allow entries to be printed and exhibited at A3 size. (Either the shortest dimension must exceed 1755 pixels or the longest dimension must exceed 2480 pixels, or both). The judges will make no concessions for poor quality files.
Entrants must declare that they accept the following conditions:
- The original photographs must have been taken by the student entering the competition at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra between 30 August 2024 and the competition closing date.
- The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- The Australian National Botanic Gardens and the Friends of the ANBG will have the right to use any submitted photographs in their newsletters, online material, display and/or promotional material. All published images will be credited.
- The restrictions of the Australian National Botanic Gardens as set out in the Visitor Code were respected.
- There are no recognisable people in the photos entered.
Entries had to be received by the competition organisers before 5pm AEST on Friday 29 August 2025. The organisers accept no responsibility for late, lost or misdirected entries, or entries not received by the organisers for any reason whatsoever.
If more than one entry form was received for a student, only the most-recently-submitted photograph in each category was considered by the judges. We strongly prefer that entrants submit a single form that includes all photographs to be entered into the different categories.
Entrants experiencing difficulties with the online form should contact the organisers at schoolphoto@friendsanbg.org.au.
Privacy
An email address is required so the competition organisers can contact entrants about their entry if necessary. The email address can belong to a parent, carer or other responsible person.
The entrants' school and contact details, including email addresses, will not be used for any other purpose, will be kept confidential, and will not be passed on to anyone who is not involved in running the competition.
