Cairns Regional Gallery Director, Andrea May Churcher and KickArts Contemporary Arts Director, Ingrid Hoffman, will judge the inaugural Destination Daintree Art competition.

Douglas Arts President Alison Gotts, the brainchild behind the competition, described setting up a brand new art event from scratch as “a huge learning curve” and was thrilled to have secured the expertise from two leading professionals in the North Queensland art community.

Alison said entries were trickling in, and most entries would be lodged at the end of September or early October.

“Entries close on October 5 so there’s less than four weeks to go," Ms Gotts said

“We received our first interstate entry from Melbourne, Victoria, last week.”

The two judges will select winners in the five categories which have been sponsored by local tourism businesses: Cape Trib Camping Daintree Landscapes and Seascapes Prize; Cape Trib Exotic Fruit 
Farm Daintree Flora Prize; Exemplar Coaches and Limousines Daintree Wildlife Prize; Heritage Lodge and Spa Daintree Photography Prize; and the Steve Walsh Portrait Prize sponsored by Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours

The top prize of $2,000 is sponsored by Daintree Marketing Co-operative, the host of www.destinationdaintree.com.

One entrant, Cathy Ford from Douglas Arts and a regular Newsport Best Photo Competition entrant, captured a memorable moment on camera with this photo of ‘Piggy’ Pavlov during a recent photo shoot in the Daintree.

Cathy said the magic of Piggy’s personality “shines through in this photo, capturing the essence of the Daintree.”

“I’m not entering this image in the competition as I have two paintings I’m working on, however I hope it will inspire other artists or photographers to try their skill."

For entry forms and more information visit www.daintreeartprize.com.