Past Winners: 2013 - 2021

Queensland Rural Journalism Award

• Radio - Marian Faa, ABC Asia Pacific and ABC Queensland Country Hour for 'Taro food of the gods'.
• Print - Brad Cooper, InQueensland for 'Logged out: Queensland's timber shortage as inaction sends supplies crashing'.
• Television - Pip Courtney, ABC Landline for a series of stories on social licence: 'Cowgirl's lament', 'The scorecard', and 'Meat is the new coal'.

Queensland Rural Journalist of the Year

Pip Courtney

Queensland Rural Photography Award

• Production - Elena Chalker, Bush Journal
• People - Lyndon Mechielsen, The Weekend Australian
• Landscape - Lyndon Mechielsen, The Weekend Australian

Queensland Rural Photographer of the Year

Lyndon Mechielsen

Queensland Rural Digital Media Award

• Jayne Cuddihy, Beef Australia for 'What's your beef' podcast series

Queensland Rural Journalism Award

• Radio - Melanie Groves, ABC Rural, Land Clearing Laws
• Online - Melanie Groves, ABC Rural, Land Clearing Laws
• Print - Sally Cripps, Queensland Country Life, Body of Work
• Television - Pip Courtney, ABC Landline, Red Tip

Overall Journalism

Melanie Groves

Queensland Rural Photography Award

• Production - Fiona Lake
• People - Jacqueline Curley

Overall Photography

Jacqueline Curley

Queensland Rural Social Media Award

• Megan Woodward, The Rural Room, Laurie’s Love

Excellence in Rural Journalism 2019

• Multimedia - Melanie Groves - ABC Rural, Animal Welfare in Drought
• Print - Lucy Kinbacher - Queensland Country Life, Alternative Farming Series
• Radio - Kristy Sexton-Smith - ABC, Cattle Stations to be handed back
• TV - Pip Courtney - ABC Landline, Solar Boom

Overall Winner

Kristy Sexton-McGrath, ABC

Excellence in Rural Photography 2019

• Landscape & Environment - Paula Heelan - Rawnsley Station Series
• People - Melanie Groves - Jumping off the Cottonseed
• Production - Evan Morgan - Branding at Meadowbrank Station

Overall Winner

Paula Heelan - Rawnsley Station Series

Rural Social Media 2019

• Jane Milburn - Textile Beat

Excellence in Rural Journalism 2018

• Print - Lucy Kinbacher - Queensland Country Life - Pimelea series
• Radio - Kallee Buchanan, ABC Rural - Farm lending practices
• Television - Kathy McLeish - Landline, ABC TV - Night parrot
• Online - Dominique Schwartz and Alexandra Blucher - ABC Online - Inland Rail series

Excellence in Rural Photography 2018

• People - Brian Cassey - SBS Online - Mowisha from Jumbun
• Landscape & Nature - Scott Radford-Chisholm - Townsville Bulletin - Abingdon Downs muster
• Production - Kelly Butterworth - Queensland Country Life - Anderson cotton harvest series

Excellence in Rural Journalism 2017

• Print - Sally Cripps, Queensland Country Life: "Drought series"
• TV - Marty McCarthy, ABC Landline, ABC News: "Panama Tropical Race 4"
• Radio - Kallee Buchanan, ABC Local Radio and Radio National: "Mary River Turtle Survey"
• Online - Kallee Buchanan and Ross Kay, ABC Online: "Inside the secret, fleeting sex life of tropical dragon fruit"

Excellence in Rural Photography 2017

• People - Brian Cassey, The Australian, "Beef Boss"
• Landscape and Nature - Scott Radford-Chisholm, Townsville Bulletin / Northern Miner, "Helen had a little lamb"
• Production - Evan Morgan, Townsville Bulletin, "Steven Elliot in his shed"

Rural Social Media 2017

• Fiona Lake, @FionaLakeAus

Excellence in Rural Journalism 2016

• Print - Michael Madigan, Courier Mail for 'Beefing Up Welfare' (overall winner)
• Radio - Craig Zonca, ABC Rural for ‘Qld Ag Minister on Sugar Legislation’
• Television - Dominique Schwartz, ABC Television for ‘Unsoiling the Reef’
• Online (multimedia) - Marty McCarthy, ABC Rural for ‘Drought Before & After’

Excellence in Rural Photography 2016

• People - Brian Cassey from Cairns for 'Beef Farmers' (overall winner)
• Landscape/nature - Paula Heelan from Clermont for 'Storm Passing'
• Production - Brian Cassey from Cairns for 'Banana Farmer'

Rural Social Media 2016

• Amanda Salisbury for her blog, 'Bush Babe of Oz'

Excellence in Rural Journalism 2015

• Print - Kate Stark from Queensland Country Life for “Prison Farm Breaks Cycle.”
• Radio - Charlie McKillop from ABC Radio for “A Duty to be Kind in Halal Killing.”
• Television - Kathy McLeish from ABC TV for “Bush Anger over Mining Laws (runner up)
• Online (multimedia) - Marty McCarthy from ABC Radio for “Watermelon Virus Outbreak prompts a rethink of Australia’s Biosecurity Controls on Imported Seeds” (overall winner)

Excellence in Rural Photography 2015

• People - Fiona Harding from the Townsville Bulletin for “Terry Nimble.” (overall winner)
• Landscape/nature - Brian Cassey from Cairns for “Cyclone Destroys Indigenous Banana Venture.”
• Production - Fiona Harding from the Townsville Bulletin for “Morning Mustering.”

Rural Social Media 2015

• Jane Milburn form Milburn Media for “Sew It Again.”

Excellence in Rural Journalism

• Print - Sue Neales, The Australian (runner up)
• Radio - Charlie McKillop, ABC North Queensland
• Television - Peter Lewis, ABC TV Landline
• Online (multimedia) - Cassandra Hough, ABC Southern Queensland (overall winner)

Excellence in Rural Photography

• People - Paula Heelan
• Landscape/nature - Peter Scott (overall photography winner)
• Production - Fiona Harding

Rural Social Media

• Fiona Noakes - ‘Cattle Kids and Chaos’

Excellence in Rural Journalism

• Radio - Nikolai Beilharz, ABC Rural
• Print - Matthew Cranston, Australian Financial Review (overall winner)
• Television - Kathy McLeish, 7.30 Queensland (runner up)

Special Judge's Award

Michael McKenna, The Australian

Excellence in Rural Photography

• People - Lisa Clarke, ABC Open
• Landscape - Paula Heelan, The Queensland Country Life
• Production - Paula Heelan, The Queensland Country Life (overall winner)