Silent figure in a Snowy Valleys forest inspires winning photograph

Key points

• A photograph of a solitary figure in a Snowy Valleys forest has won Murrumbateman’s Stephen Harrison a trip to Sydney. His image of Contemplation, by Icelandic sculptor Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir, took out the 2026 Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail Winter Photo Competition.
• The sculpture is part of the Alpine Ash Walk in Bago State Forest, which opened in April 2024 as part of the broader Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail.
• The trail was established to support the region’s recovery after the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.