Tincurrin broadacre farmer nabs double win at 2025 Spirit of the Bush photography comp with surprise eweGeorgia CampionCountrymanTue, 30 September 2025 10:10AMEmail Georgia Campion
A double win at the 2025 Spirit of the Bush Photography competition has come as a “complete shock” for “gobsmacked” Tincurrin farmer Tamara Ward.
Ward, a sheep and cropping farmer, said she “nearly didn’t enter” the competition, not expecting to win again after two of her photos were in the winning line up at the 2024 competition.
‘Photo Bombing Ewe’ and ‘Helping Dad with the little mob Long paddock muster’ were among 10 photographs chosen as winners in the 2025 competition.
Ward — the only WA winner in this years line up — said the decision to enter was a way to show her support for the competition.
“I’ll show my support because it’s such a good cause . . . and I’ll put in a couple nice photos to give them something nice to look at.” Ward said.
She said she was completely gobsmacked when receiving the email to notify her of the double win.
‘Photo Bombing Ewe’ came about as Ward was attempting to take photos of a pet sheep for her daughter.
It was the fifth photograph in a series of six before the “random” and “inquisitive” South African Meat Merino ewe squished its face to Ward’s lens.
“I was kneeling down just out of the way of the mob, watching the four pets at the end of the feeding line,” she said.
“I was sort of lining up a couple of shots for different photos, and this one sheep — the sheep are getting used to me being there all the time during feeding — it just started walking towards me.
“I thought I’ll just stay quiet . . . I just kept clicking and got about six shots and it came closer and closer.”
Ward’s second winning photo in the 2025 competition, ‘Helping Dad with the little mob Long paddock muster’ is a photo of her daughter helping her dad muster a flock of sheep the family’s Tincurrin farm.
The two photos were picked out from 429 entries from 201 entrants, with each winner awarded a $250 gift card for their winning images.
Rural Aid chief executive John Warlters said unseen stories of WA rural and regional life is captured and revealed through the competition, now in its sixth year.
“This year’s photos are a moving tribute to life outside the city limits,” he said.
“They tell stories of perseverance, pride and connection.
“There’s an authenticity to these images that resonates. Whether it’s a family working through drought, or a breathtaking sunrise over a remote property, the spirit of the bush shines through.”
Ward’s two winning photos are in addition to her 2024 double win in the photography competition — with ‘Our Girl and her Bestie’ and ‘Race you Dad’.
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