EVENTS: 2010 Rural Journalism and Photography Awards The Rural Press Club of Victoria's 2010 Rural Journalism & Photography Awards recognise excellence in agricultural and rural journalism & photography, in both the print and electronic media. It is open to all journalists and photographers who have covered rural issues in Victoria and the Riverina in 2009-10. The entries are currently being judged and award winners will ba announced at our annual gala dinner on Friday 27 August. 2010 Journalism and Photography Awards Gala Dinner On Friday 27 August, the club will host its 2010 Journalism and Photography Awards Gala Dinner at the Hilton on the Park, East Melbourne. Why not celebrate with the best of the best in Victoria's rural and regional media at this premier event? Click here to download the gala dinner booking form. As an association, Rural Press Club of Victoria members are offered discounted accommodation rates for the five-star Hilton on the Park. Click here to check-out the 2010 member rates for the Hilton on the Park. Membership 2010-11 The Rural Press Club of Victoria membership packages are excellent value for money. Our events, with an impressive line-up of speakers, are more than just a good source of news and information. They also provide the opportunity to network with rural media leaders and other agribusiness professionals. Stay informed of the issues affecting rural Victoria by becoming a member in 2010-11. Click here to download the membership form. Click here to download a letter from the president. Wrong turn, right result for Australian photographer Taking a wrong turn has landed Victorian country photographer Nigel Hallett one of the world's most prestigious awards for rural photography. His photograph of a farmer cooling off while haymaking has been judged the best entry in the 'People' category of the prestigious IFAJ Star Prize Award for Agricultural Photography. Run by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), the award this year attracted more than 150 entries from the world's leading rural photographers. Nigel's winning photo was actually the end result of the photographer getting lost when he was sent out on an assignment last November for The Colac Herald. "I was sent out to take the picture and I had bad directions," he said. "I turned through the wrong gate and saw a farmer working in the heat, so went ahead and took the picture of him. "When I returned to work there were a few questions about where I had been. I soon found out I got the wrong farmer - it was his brother," Nigel said. See the image below. Click here to view the media release. Victoria's rural photographers named best in Australia Victoria's rural photographers have been named the best in the country, taking out the three top spots for the Australian Star Prize for Photography for 2010. Colac Herald photographer Nigel Hallett has won the overall prize for his photograph of a farmer cooling down in the paddock after haymaking. The winning image was entered in the people category. Nigel Hallett for his winning entry 'Making hay while the sun shines' The photographs of Weekly Times photographer Zoe Phillips have been named the best in the Landscape and Production categories. Zoe Phillips, The Weekly Times won the landscape category for sheep being yarded. Zoe Phillips had her study of three dogs in the back of a utility published in the Sunday Herald Sun The three winning photographs (as shown above) have now been entered in the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Star Prize for Photography, to be announced at the IFAJ Congress on April 17-21. The winning photographs continue a great year for Victoria's rural media. Border Mail journalist John Conroy is eagerly waiting the results of the IFAJ Star Prize for Writing, after winning the national prize earlier this year. Stock and Land editor Tom Dawkins will be at the Congress, having won the Alltech Young Leaders in Rural Journalism Award. Please go to www.acaj.org.au for more information Wodonga journalist wins national award again The writing skills of young Victorian journalist John Conroy have won him the ACAJ Star Prize for Rural Journalism for the second year in a row. An international panel of judges has named The Border Mail journalist as the best rural writer of the year for his feature 'Out west, where the rain don't fall'. The judges commended John Conroy's article for its content, style and balance. Mr Conroy will now represent Australia in the world's most prestigious professional competition for rural reporters - the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Star Prize for Agricultural Journalism. Rabobank's Mark Bennett presented the Victorian finalists for the inaugural ACAJ Star Prize for Rural Broadcasting at a recent Rural Press Club of Victoria meeting. ABC Mildura Rural Reporter Nikolai Beilharz and Win Television's Gippsland reporter Brooke Van Nooten took the honours. Please click on the link below to view the media release. David Hillman (John Deere), Graeme O'Neill (Sunraysia Daily), John Conroy (Border Mail) and Peter Hunt (The Weekly Times) Click here to view the media release.