The best signs of spring awarded

THE Surf Coast Shire council has revealed three winners in its Signs of Spring social media competition.
People were invited to submit their best spring-inspired photos to Facebook and Instagram over a two-week period earlier this month.
Each winner receives a $100 hamper from Peachs in Torquay, with a $50 hamper to gift to a friend in need.
One winner, Mary Rose Avent, thanked a home schooling idea of making a floral crown as inspiration for her winning entry of son Jimmy (5) wearing a home-made wattle crown.
“My two sons love the changing seasons and after a pretty rough couple of months in lockdown, we were enjoying finding some beautiful spots in nature locally – pockets of nature for them to climb trees around the shire,” Mary, a freelance textile and graphic designer for Aviary Studio, said.

Louise E, a local architect, took her winning photo while chasing the sunrise on the Iron Bark Basin trail and it was judged to perfectly encapsulate the signs of spring with its wattle in the front, the sun shining through the clouds and beautiful beach landscape.
“I don’t normally take close-ups of flowers, but was trying something different,” said Louise.
“It was a beautiful, calm morning. We’re so lucky on the Surf Coast to be able to come to places like this, exercise and clear the mind – that’s been the best medicine of all during these times.”

Another winner, Jo Bangles, had set up a hose and camera with a long lens in her backyard to patiently wait to capture her winning image of a magpie cooling down in the hose water.
“They are so curious and I do get a bit excited about the trees blossoming and the baby animals in spring, especially the ducklings in Torquay’s Taylor Park,” Jo said. “But I’m a big magpie fan, too.”
Head to Instagram or Facebook and search #SignsofSpringSCS for inspiration and to see some of the photos from this year’s competition.