What’s Happening?
Middlemount photographer Catherine Phillis has won recognition in Rural Aid’s 2026 Spirit of the Bush photography competition. The competition celebrates the people, landscapes, resilience and everyday moments of rural and regional Australia.
Rural Aid selected Phillis as one of this year’s winners. Her photograph will also feature in the organisation’s 2027 Spirit of the Bush calendar.
Why It Matters
For Phillis, the competition offered a chance to celebrate families who live and work in rural communities. She is a teacher who has raised her family in the bush. As a result, the recognition carries personal meaning.
“As a teacher who has raised her family in the bush, I think it’s so important to remind the country of all the families out here playing a vital role by living and working on the land,” Phillis said. “I’m thrilled that my image was selected as a winner of the competition. I really hope it helps highlight and celebrate the people of the bush, their lives and the passion they have for life on the land.”
Local Impact
Phillis’ winning photograph puts Middlemount among the communities represented in this year’s Spirit of the Bush competition. Rural Aid encouraged photographers to capture the challenges and determination found across rural and regional Australia. Entrants also highlighted the people and natural beauty of these communities.
Phillis’ photograph will also appear in Rural Aid’s 2027 Spirit of the Bush calendar. Through the calendar, the winning images will share snapshots of rural life with people across Australia.
By The Numbers
- Rural Aid selected 12 winning photographs for the 2026 competition.
- Each winning photographer will receive a $250 prepaid Visa card.
- The competition began in 2020, while the selected images will appear in Rural Aid’s 2027 calendar.
Zoom In
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said the competition gives people a view of life across rural and regional Australia.
“The Spirit of the Bush competition gives us a wonderful window into rural and regional Australia, the people, the landscapes, the challenges and the moments of joy that make life in the bush so unique,” Mr Warlters said. These photographs tell stories that deserve to be seen and celebrated. They remind us of the strength, resilience, humour and connection that exists across our rural communities, and help share those stories with people right across Australia.”
The 2026 Spirit of the Bush winners are:
- Mardi Harrison – Kyneton, VIC
- Jaymee Inwood – Carinda, NSW
- Felicity Thomas – Mulwala, NSW
- Catherine Philips – Middlemount, QLD
- Michelle Peters – Molong, NSW
- Jessica Osmond – Hay, NSW
- Donna Hodgson – Quilpie, QLD
- Hannah Perkins – Bairnsdale, VIC
- Sandie Read – Mundubbera, QLD
- Richard Poulish – Lower King, WA (2x winner)
- Philip Down – Speed, VIC
Zoom Out
Rural Aid launched the Spirit of the Bush photography competition in 2020. Since then, it has built a visual archive of rural life. The collection captures the resilience, humour, hardship, pride and beauty that define the bush.
Meanwhile, fellow winner Mardi Harrison from Kyneton, Victoria, described what the spirit of the bush meant to her.
“To me, the spirit of the bush is about resilience, friendship and looking out for one another. It’s the quiet strength of farming families, working through good seasons and the tough ones,” Mardi said. “It’s neighbours lending a hand without being asked, communities pulling together when times are difficult, and a deep connection to the land. Above all, it’s about mateship, belonging and never having to face the challenges alone.”
Together, the selected photographs bring rural stories to people across Australia through personal moments and regional landscapes.
What To Look For Next?
Rural Aid will feature the winning photographs in its 2027 Spirit of the Bush calendar. The organisation will make the calendar available to purchase later this year.
Warlters also congratulated the winners and everyone who entered this year.
“Congratulations to all of our winners and to everyone who entered this year’s competition. The quality and variety of the images made selecting the winners a difficult task, and we’re proud to help share these snapshots of life in the bush.”
