Sustainability Through Your Own Lens Photography Competition
We invite all Victorian school students to enter the ResourceSmart Schools program Sustainability Through Your Own Lens photography competition. The competition celebrates student creativity through imagery and a written reflection.
This year’s theme is 'Building a climate-ready future'.
Climate change brings new challenges to the places we use every day, like our homes, schools, parks, and roads. As weather events become more frequent or intense, this theme encourages students to reflect on how people, places, and nature are preparing and adapting. Together, we can build a safer, stronger, and more climate-ready future.
How to enter
Students
- Take a photo that answers the question: 'What does building a climate-ready future mean to you?'
- Write a short reflection on how this image relates to building a climate-ready future (up to 100 words).
The photo can be taken anywhere in Victoria — at school, home, in your community, or in local parklands.
Teachers
Upload student entries to the AwardsForce platform.
Each entry must include one image and the student’s reflection. Schools may submit up to three entries per year level into the competition.
View the full terms and conditions of entry.
Categories
Students from primary and secondary schools can enter in one of three categories:
- Lower Primary: Prep to Grade 4
- Middle Years: Grade 5 to 8
- Senior School: Year 9 to 12
Schools may submit up to three entries per year level into the competition.
What’s in it for participants?
All finalists’ photos will be:
- promoted through our social media channels and website
- showcased at the 2026 ResourceSmart Schools Awards event
Winners will be:
- awarded cash prizes to support sustainability projects at their schools
- invited to the 2026 ResourceSmart Schools Awards, where their work will be featured in a special exhibition of finalists' images
- presented with a printed and framed copy of their photo.
Key dates
Available support
Join an optional information session to learn how to enter, check your eligibility, and become eligible (it’s easy!). We'll also show examples of past finalists, and get answer your questions.
You can also email resourcesmaertawards@sustainability.vic.gov.au for support. We are here to help!
Eligibility
To be eligible to enter the competition, schools must be ‘active’ in ResourceSmart Schools program in this financial year (from 1 July 2025).
Entries must be submitted by a teacher from the participating school.
Each teacher member can submit up to 3 entries per year level.
Become a ResourceSmart School
If you're school is not yet part of the program, it's easy to get started.
Inactive ResourceSmart Schools
You can activate your school by completing any of the following actions in RSS Online:
- Leave a comment in a module action. For example:
- Core Module, Action 1.1: 'We will continue to be part of ResourceSmart Schools in 2025–26.'
- Any Resource Module, Action 2.3: 'Our school entered the 2025 Sustainability Through Your Own Lens Competition.'
- Update your school’s annual settings (e.g. staff and student numbers for 2025)
- Upload a document
- Enter a bill
Email resourcesmaertawards@sustainability.vic.gov.au for support.
Promotional resources for schools
Use these resources, available on HIVO, to help spread the word about the competition in your school and inspire your students to join in.
- A4 and A3 poster for your school news board
- A5 ad for your newsletter
- Social media resources
- Reading ‘Building a Climate-Ready Future’ text to provide your students with information about the topic.
Turn the competition into a classroom activity
This photo competition is a great opportunity to explore climate change and adaptation with your class or student action teams of any year level and the perfect end-of-term 3 activity!
Go to the teacher’s guide and resources for information on using the classroom resources pack, available on HIVO, which includes:
- lesson plan and table
- curriculum links
- ‘Building a climate-ready future’ text
- slide deck with images.
2024 winners
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Persevering to Reach New Heights by Emily Griffiths
'This image depicts vines slowly making their way up and around a power pole enveloping and smothering the man-made aspects. The vines are adapting to the harsh placement of the structure as they overtake and blend in with the environment to make it a part of the natural scenery. Through the obstruction of this human made structure we can see our environment show resilience, perseverance and a desire to flourish.' -
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Shine the Light by Amara Gauld
'We need to keep our planet healthy and clean for future generations. The sun comes up and sets every day we have a responsibility to keep the planet liveable for all the creatures. This photo was taken from the point of view of a creature not a human and shows how the earth is important for everyone.' -
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Look Closely by Sam Watson
'Even the smallest parts of nature can appear big when we look closely. We can all make small actions that are sustainable, but just like in my photo, when you look closely, every little action is actually really important. We all need to work together to protect our planet and make sure we do all of the little things that add up to big things.' -
2023 winners
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About Daniel and the photo
Daniel is from Brentwood Secondary College. The impressive framing through an ‘eye’ with a powerful description which talks about harmony with nature and other species.
In Daniel’s words, he says "sustainability is a way of life. We look after the environment and the animals through the practices of developing renewable energies. We keep green and healthy spaces available around our buildings for nature to flourish. A cockatoo feeling at home to feast in our back garden shows the harmony that can be obtained when we live sustainably."
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About Steele and the photo
Steele Aspland, Grade 2 at St. James Parish School in Sebastopol.
Steele says "we need to care for all of nature, from the tallest trees to the tiniest mushrooms that hide beneath the grass. The unseen world is vital to the health of the ecosystem and even though some organisms are hard to see, they can often be the ones keeping everything healthy."
Steele has been part of caring for our environment by picking up rubbish on Clean up Australia Day and helping to audit their school's water use.
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