October 6, 2026
The annual Acquisitive competition always attracts a big crowd to the Wondai Regional Art Gallery, but this year there were some unexpected guests … a team of firefighters.
A small fire in the gallery’s kitchen triggered an automatic fire alert on Friday night and just minutes later several fully PPE-clad firefighters rolled in to join the opening night crowd.
Fortunately, only a tiny section of the kitchen bench suffered some scorching from the incident but everyone was very grateful for the quick response!
The rest of the evening went a lot smoother, although the 10 Awards categories were also very hotly contested.
The main prize, the $3000 South Burnett Regional Council Acquisitive, was taken out for the second year running by Wondai artist Katrina O’Shannessy.
Her work, “Ecology in Colour”, will now be added to Council’s permanent collection.
Cherbourg Council sponsored the Indigenous Art Of Australia award, which was won by Glass Art Dreaming artist Toni Phillips-Petersen for “Where Stories Begin”.
One of the other big winners on the night was South Burnett artist Tiana Justine who went home with three first prizes in different categories.
Local artist Elizabeth Greensill also did well, winning first and second prizes, the Hangers’ Prize and the People’s Choice award (voted on the night).
The competition entries were assessed by an independent judge, Gympie artist Jan Lawnikanis, who spent two days in Wondai viewing all the artworks.
[The full list of winners is below]
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Prize Winners
$3000 ACQUISITIVE – sponsored by South Burnett Regional Council and selected from the entries in all categories
- Katrina O’Shannessy – “Ecology in Colour”
$100 PEOPLE’S CHOICE – sponsored by Wondai Regional Art Gallery
- Elizabeth Greensill – “Flowers In A Terracotta Vase”
$100 HANGERS’ PRIZE – sponsored by the Wondai Post Office
- Elizabeth Greensill – “Flowers In A Terracotta Vase”
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SECTION 1: OIL or ACRYLIC – sponsored by Hobbs & Associates
- $500 1st: Tiana Justine – “Earth – Red”
- $200 2nd: Glenn Kelly – “@C”
- Highly Commended: Cassy Allsworth – “Thinking In Silence”
- Commended: Shannus O’Sullivan -“The Felon”
SECTION 2: WATERCOLOUR – sponsored by Senator James McGrath
- $500 1st: Sue Lederhose – “Thai Flower Seller”
- $200 2nd: Elizabeth Greensill – “Boronup Forest”
- Highly Commended: Robyn Drury – “Ocean Explosion”
- Commended: Jane Hoffman – “Time For A Cuppa”
SECTION 3: PASTEL – sponsored by Heath and Rowena Sander
- $500 1st: Susie Capewell – “Tcharkuldu Rock, Minippa SA”
- $200 2nd: Pam Shipman – “Captured Shadows”
- Highly Commended: Thelma Archibald – “Irises”
- Commended: Rosemary Anderson – “Nesting”
SECTION 4: ANY OTHER MEDIUM – sponsored by the Wondai Lions Club
- $500 1st: Tiana Justine – “Self (Destruct)”
- $200 2nd: Dave Staines – “Serving Tray”
- Highly Commended: Jenny Neubecker – “There’s Talk About El Niño”
- Commended: Cassy Allsworth – “Golden Light”
SECTION 5: PHOTOGRAPHY – sponsored by Wondai Hardware
- $500 1st: Liz Barratt – “30 Seconds @ Moffatdale”
- $200 2nd: John Dalton – “Unhealed Wounds”
- Highly Commended: Katrina O’Shannessy – “Willy The Frilly”
- Commended: Matt Newman – “Pied Stilt On A Pink Lake”
SECTION 6: SCULPTURE & CERAMICS – sponsored by Barry & Leanne Krosch
- $500 1st: Maureen Irving – “Aussie Dunny”
- $200 2nd: Rosemary Anderson – “After The Fire”
- Highly Commended: Carol Forster – “Inca Inspiration”
- Commended: Shontelle Lewis – “Serving For One”
SECTION 7: INDIGENOUS ART OF AUSTRALIA – sponsored by Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council
- $500 1st: Toni Phillips-Petersen – “Where Stories Begin”
- $200 2nd: Lillyan Stumer – “Connections To Country”
- Highly Commended: Garry Robert Carter – “Magical Places Our Land”
SECTION 8: SOUTH BURNETT RESIDENTS ONLY – sponsored by the Wondai Country Running Festival
- $500 1st: Tiana Justine – “Neverland”
- $200 2nd: Cassy Allsworth – “Whispers Of Light”
- Highly Commended: John Dalton – “In And Out Of Grief”
- Commended: Shannus O’Sullivan – “The Madonna”
SECTION 9: AUSTRALIAN POETRY THEME – sponsored by Wondai Regional Art Gallery
- $500 1st: Amy Wood – “The Blacksmith”
- $200 2nd: John Dalton – “Core Of My Heart”
- Highly Commended: Jenni Kelly – “Land Of The Rainbow”
- Commended: Deidre Amos – “Galah”
SECTION 10: FANTASTIC FAKES – sponsored by the Wondai Pharmacy
- $500 1st: Elizabeth Greensill – “Flowers In A Terracotta Vase”
- $200 2nd: Marilyn Murray – “Flapper”
- Highly Commended: Sandra Gilchrist – “Gumnut Babies”
- Commended: Jane Hoffman – “The Waterlily Pond”
