IF a picture tells a thousand words, then the winning shots in the GrainGrowers’ annual calendar competition deliver a compelling visual story about the Australian grain industry.

Judged independently and announced earlier this month, runners-up came from Goondiwindi and Wee Waa, with first place going to Phillip Down from Speed in Victoria, with Evening Barley.

Mindy Hussey from Goondiwindi placed second with Golden Tonnes and Georgie Hamilton from Wee Waa collected third place with Super Harvest Moon.

Evening Barley has been described by judges as a “beautifully lit image that draws the viewer straight into the golden crop. The depth, warmth and gentle stillness make it a peaceful and captivating scene”.

Runner-up Golden Tonnes is a “wide, open scene that captures a striking moment of machinery moving together across the field. The timing and scale give the image a strong visual impact” and third-placed Super Harvest Moon is a “clever and visually appealing composition that frames the moon with grain heads, creating a quiet, beautifully timed moment”.

Evening Barley, by Phillip Down from Speed in Victoria, was awarded first place in the 2025 GrainGrowers annual calendar competition.

The People’s Choice Award went to Carly Egan, from Milbrulong in New South Wales, with The Next Generation.

In addition to the prize-winners, the top 12 selected images will now be featured in the upcoming 2026 GrainGrowers Calendar.

Winning entries will also receive industry-wide exposure through GrainGrowers’ publications and social media channels.

GrainGrowers’ CEO, Shona Gawel, said the competition was extremely popular and had been running for well over a decade.

“The images really do help to capture the uniqueness of what happens on our grain farms across the country and the wide abundance of interesting subject matter,” Ms Gawel said.

“The entries never fail to surprise and highlight not only the hard work, but the beauty of the changing landscapes across our grain growing regions.

“Another year proving not only are our Aussie grain growers the best in the world, but they can also turn their hand to award winning photography as well.”

The winning images can be viewed on the GrainGrowers website HERE.