Call for community participation: Hope & Growth 2019 Bushfire Recovery Photography Exhibition

27 August 2021

To commemorate the two-year anniversary of the 2019 bushfires that ravaged the region, an upcoming community photo exhibition aims to capture the resilient spirit and stories of the impacted rural communities.

Through the Hope & Growth themed exhibition, Southern Downs residents are invited to share their bushfire recovery stories by submitting photographs for a regional exhibition that will depict the ‘then and now’ of the event through images reflecting the immediate impacts of the fires and the subsequent recovery journey. 

Art gallery enthusiast, Southern Downs Councillor Marco Gliori said that projects such as the Hope & Growth Bushfire Recovery Photography Exhibition remind us that we can overcome diversity by continuing to demonstrate pride in our communities.

“Hope and growth are two necessary ingredients required by any region recovering from a natural disaster,” Councillor Gliori said.

“Such resilience is often built into the spirit that makes up our rural communities and that spirit was evident during and after the 2019 bushfires.  

“This bushfire recovery project is an opportunity for us to share those stories through photography.

“Whether a novice or seasoned snapper, one image preserved by you can speak volumes and this exhibition welcomes anyone to apply who photographed a character, landscape or moment worthy of recording either before, during or after the bushfires.

“In sharing our stories of Hope & Growth, we encourage healing and mateship.”

The exhibition will be available for all residents to enjoy and will tour the region between September and December 2021. Venues will be announced on Council’s Facebook page.

Photos can be emailed to recovery@sdrc.qld.gov.au. Please ensure that you have permission to share the photograph should it be of other people than yourself. Visit https://www.sdrc.qld.gov.au/bushfirephotos for submission guidelines and details.

All submissions will be entered into a draw for a Shop Local Gift Card.

Unable to send images yourself? Visit any Southern Downs Library and Council staff will be happy to assist.

Submissions close Friday 10 September 2021.

Funding for this activity is through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement (2018), a joint arrangement between the Australian and Queensland Governments.