It’s like the Archibald Prize for rivers.  West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) is launching its annual Water for the Environment photo competition with the theme ‘portrait of a river’ and there are great prizes to be won.   

“This year, the competition asks people to capture images of rivers that reflect their many moods. Much like people, they can sometimes be peaceful and beautiful, other times turbulent and dynamic, each has their own ‘personality’. So, turn your camera vertically and capture a portrait of your local waterway,” said Tash Marty-Cripps, Waterways Project Officer for the CMA.  

“We know that people will be out enjoying the region’s beautiful rivers in Autumn. We would love to see how the rivers look through your eyes and hear your stories.”   

The rivers across West Gippsland have many faces depending on how you see them. They are a host to many iconic Australian plants and animals, and places for us to hike, swim, kayak, fish and camp. They are a muse; providing beauty, art and emotion. They are a teacher: providing places to learn, teach others and share stories. They are a carer, supporting our wellbeing and providing peaceful natural spaces to rest and recharge.  They are also a resource; they support local communities and businesses – from farming to kayaking, fishing and tourism.   

“We all benefit from healthy waterways and we are especially proud to support them by delivering water for the environment.”  

‘Water for the environment’ is water that is set aside in major reservoirs and carefully released into a waterway to support the health of rivers and wetlands. In dry times it can be used to connect pools and improve water quality, protecting animals such as fish and platypus.  

Environmental releases can trigger native fish or eel migration, help waterplants grow, protect waterbirds from predators and improve access to food for fish, frogs and birds. By taking care of the water, we’re also improving these waterways for people to enjoy as well.  

The popular annual competition encourages photographers to get snapping and enter photos from the four rivers in of the region that receive water for the environment allocations:  

• Durt’Yowan (Latrobe River)
• Wirn wirndook Yeerung (Macalister River)
• Carran Carran (Thomson River)
• Tanjil River.

Simply capture one or more images in portrait orientation to show us how you see our rivers.  There are $1,000 worth of local business association vouchers up for grabs for the winners. It’s free and you can enter multiple times. 

The competition opens on Wednesday 1 April and closes at 11:59 pm on Thursday 30 April 2026. Good luck snappers! 

West Gippsland CMA is responsible for over 40,000 kilometres of designated waterways across the region and delivers programs for healthy and resilient catchments. All these waterways flow to the Victorian coast, discharging through the Gippsland Lakes, or directly into Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean.  

You can learn more about water for the environment in West Gippsland and signup to receive email notifications to keep up to date when environmental flows are scheduled. 

📸 Banner image Heart Morass by Colin Cook.