Waitakaruru Arboretum invites students to take part in autumn photo competition

The winning photograph in last year's 50 Shades of Autumn competition. Photo / Susan Savill

The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum is hosting its annual photography competition 50 Shades of Autumn from April 15 to May 2 and is inviting students of all ages and adults to take part.

Participants have the chance to win a range of prizes including vouchers for art supplies and passes for the park.

This year's entries will be judged by professional photographer Mark Taylor who will determine the top five photographs in the four entry categories of primary school student, secondary school student, tertiary student and adult.

Dorothy Wakeling, who created the arboretum near the small village of Tauwhare in the Waikato with her husband John, said: "The park provides great subject matter this time of year with leaves changing colour, fungi popping up, and late summer and autumn flowers blooming. It is one of the safest destinations for a school holiday treat."

The top five entries of the tertiary and adult categories will be exhibited at Welcome Swallow Gallery in Hamilton East.

Those who enter the competition are limited to two photographs each. Entry into the competition is free for children and tertiary students, while adults are asked to pay a $20 entry fee to help cover the cost of printing out the photographs for the exhibition.

The prize for the winner of the primary school student category is a starter gardening pack and a family annual pass to the park.

The winner in the secondary school student category receives a $50 art supply voucher and a family annual pass to the park.

The winner in the tertiary student category will be featured in the exhibition with the top five entries and receives a $100 art supply voucher as well as five vouchers for park entry.

The winner in the adult category will also be featured in the exhibition of the top five entries and is set to receive a $250 Mitre10 gift voucher as well as five vouchers for park entry.

Dorothy and John bought the 17.5ha property that used to be a greywacke quarry in 1991 with one big mission - to rehabilitate the land through the planting of all kinds of native, foreign, and rare plants, and to absorb carbon out of the atmosphere in order to slow down climate change.

Since the start of their mission, the Wakelings planted more than 20,000 trees and they have more than 100 sculptures on their grounds permanently that can be viewed on a 2km loop walk.

To enter the competition fill out the form here.

To find out more about the arboretum and sculpture park click here.