Threatened species awareness campaign adopts write approach

Campbelltown City Council’s annual competition to raise awareness of the special plants and animals which call Macarthur home is back, and has this year grown to include a creative writing component.

The Threatened Species Art and Writing Competition invites students from across Macarthur to learn about local threatened species through the creation of vibrant and colourful artworks, or short stories, that highlight the vulnerability of our region’s plants and animals.

Entries open on Monday, July 24, and young artists aged 5 to 12 are invited to draw, paint or create a collage on A4 sized paper of a threatened species found in Macarthur.

Individual entries will be judged in age categories of 5 to 6 years, 7 to 9 years and 10 to 12 years.

Budding writers aged 10 to 12 are invited to express themselves through short stories that celebrate the beauty and uniqueness of Macarthur’s threatened plants and animals.

There are prizes for individuals and schools up for grabs in both the artwork and writing sections.

An awards ceremony will take place on National Threatened Species Day on Thursday, September 7 at the Australian PlantBank at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan.
As part of the awards ceremony, entrants will be invited to go behind-the-scenes of the facility, and be taken on a nocturnal tour of the endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland.

A travelling exhibition of competition entries will be held across Macarthur throughout September in recognition of Biodiversity Month.

Some of the best artwork and creative writing pieces will also be published in the inaugural Threatened Species Art and Writing Competition Storybook.

Each school will receive a copy of the book, and entrants whose story was published will receive a copy to keep.

Copies of the book will also be made available to borrow from local libraries.

Deputy Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Meg Oates, said she was pleased to see such an important competition opening up to a wider pool of entrants.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“The competition aims to increase awareness and interest in local threatened species and highlight the diverse habitat of the Macarthur region.[/social_quote]

What better way to instil that message in the wider community than by teaching our children about how we can protect vulnerable species,” she said.

“We’ve seen some outstanding and creative work from young artists eager to express their interest in, and concern for the natural environment through this competition over many years.

“This year, I’m also looking forward to reading stories from our young writers which reflect their passion for the environment.”

Competition entries can be hand delivered to the customer service desk at Campbelltown City Council’s civic centre, Queen Street, Campbelltown, or posted to PO Box 57, Campbelltown 2560.

Camden and Wollondilly residents can send their artwork to their respective councils.

Entries close on Thursday 24 August.

For more information, including a full list of animals and plants that are classified as threatened species in the Macarthur region go online here.