Whau Photo Competition Results – Theme of Climate Change
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We were thrilled to receive 23 awesome photo entries for this year’s annual Whau River Photo Competition! The theme, inspired by World Water Day’s 2025 focus on climate change, brought in powerful visual stories showcasing how our local waterways — the Whau River and its many streams — are being affected by or responding to our changing environment.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to capture the beauty, challenges, and resilience of our river’s ecosytem. Your images help raise awareness and deepen our connection to these precious waterways.
🎉 Congratulations to Bushra Tasneem, Saryu Mae, and Angela Lewis!
The Trust felt their photos beautifully captured the theme of climate change on the Whau River and its streams.
Scroll down to see more stunning entries and enjoy the journey through our local waterways.
First Place: Bushra Tasneem
Bushra’s winning photo was taken in Te Atatū South. The judges loved the bamboo across the stream. Bushra is 16 years old and goes to Avondale College.
Second Place: Saryu Mae
“I found this Kōtare (Sacred Kingfisher) on a mudflat near the Whau River mouth in Waitematā Harbour- which can be seen in the reflection in its eye. Melting glaciers will cause sea level to rise significantly, ruining those precious mudflats – which are essential for these birds to thrive.”
Saryu (18 years old) had two other submissions that also ranked highly. Of the wasp photo he said
“This is a miniscule (3mm long) parasitic wasp, Spathius exarator, laying eggs into its host (beetle larvae) in a rotten log by the Whau river flowing across Olympic park. Despite its beauty, it is an invasive species from Europe. Changing ecosystems is a big part of climate change and Whau river catchment area is no exception.”
Saryu also won a spot prize for his amazing photos in our competition last year.
Third Place: Angela Lewis
Angela’s winning photo “Rainbow over Te Atatū” was taken from the Northwestern Cycleway and includes Te Whau Pathway under construction. Angela is local to the area.
Photo gallery
Thank you to all entrants for sharing with us their beautiful photos of this amazing awa. All the photos can be viewed in the gallery below – just click on an image to see its larger version and then use the arrows to navigate.
What’s next?
Te Whau Pathway Project runs a t-shirt design competition in spring – keep an eye on our socials for updates!
About this competition
| Date | Friday 22nd March 2025 |
| Location | Whau River Catchment Area |
| Type | Photography |
| Who | 12 photographers in the Whau River area |
| Funders | Te Whau Pathway Environment Trust |
