Outstanding Queensland journalists recognised during Rural Media Awards

Queensland’s leading rural journalists and photographers were recognised during the annual Queensland Rural Media Awards announced during a Rural Press Club luncheon in Brisbane on Thursday, February 2.

ABC Landline journalist Halina Baczkowski won Queensland Rural Story of the Year for her Ability Agriculture story which was also named Best Television Story.

Judges said Halina’s story provided a comprehensive and compelling package on the important issue of the experiences of people living with disability in agriculture.

Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register editor Lucy Kinbacher was named the inaugural Queensland Young Rural Journalist of the Year. This new award was launched this year to recognise new talent and leadership potential in rural journalists under 35 years of age.

Eric Barker, founding editor of Ag Carbon Central, was named runner up in the Queensland Rural Story of the Year and Young Queensland Rural Journalist of the Year awards, and won the print category for best agricultural writing for his coverage of the growing carbon industry in agriculture.

The award for Best Radio Story was won by Sunshine Coast based ABC reporter Jennifer Nicholls, for her stories about the Mary River flooding.

The Digital Online award for multiple-platform story telling was won by Elly Bradfield, senior producer with ABC Rural Queensland, with ABC Toowoomba journalists David Chen, Nathan Morris and Alys Marshall named as runners-up.

In the Queensland Rural Photography awards, Blackall-based photographer Lisa Alexander won overall Queensland Rural Photo of the Year and Best Landscape photo for her images of the Channel Country.

Brisbane-based photographer Allie Lee was named as the winner of the Best People photos, and Cairns-based photographer Brian Cassey won Best Production photo.

The Rural Press Club of Queensland congratulates all the finalists and winners, and expresses gratitude to the sponsors of its awards the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Nutrien Ag Solutions and The University of Queensland.

The Queensland Rural Media Awards were judged by an independent panel of nine experienced media, communications and photography professionals working across the journalism and agriculture sectors.

Queensland Rural Story of the Year, supported by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Young Queensland Rural Journalist of the Year, supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions

Best Television Story ?supported by The University of Queensland.

Winner: Halina Baczkowski, ABC Landline reporter for “Ability Agriculture” story.

Best Radio Story supported by The University of Queensland.

Winner: Jennifer Nicholls, ABC Sunshine Coast for “The Mary River” stories.

Best Digital Online Story supported by The University of Queensland.

Winner: Elly Bradfield, ABC Rural reporter for “Rural Birthing” story.

Highly Commended: Alys Marshall, David Chen, Nathan Morris, ABC Toowoomba for “The Price of Gas” stories.

Best Print Story supported by The University of Queensland.

Winner: Eric Barker, AgCarbon Central for “Carbon Agriculture” stories.

Queensland Rural Photo of the Year supported by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Winner: Lisa Alexander, Bush Journal, “The channel country comes alive”

Best Landscape nature Photo

Winner: Lisa Alexander for “The channel country comes alive” photos published by Bush Journal.

Best People Photo

Winner: Allie Lee for “Visions from home” photos published by Bush Journal.

Best Production Photo

Winner: Brian Cassey for “Fall armyworm” photos published by Australian Community Media.

The Queensland Rural Media Awards were supported by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Nutrien Ag Solutions and The University of Queensland.