Dog Walks photo competition Autumn 2018

Are six legs better than two? It seems so! Our Autumn photo competition asked Victorians to capture their love of walking and discovering new places with their four-legged friends. We received nearly 300 entries.

While all of the dogs were of course gorgeous, ­we had to pick a winner.

We loved Jess Grech’s portrait of her dog Cliff, which has earned them a two-night stay at Rutherglen’s lovely Must Love Dogs Bed and Breakfast - a prize kindly donated to assist our work at Victoria Walks.

The beautiful photo captures not only Cliff’s joy as he soaks up the sights and smells of Mathias Track in Olinda, but also his bond with owner Jess.

When we called Jess to congratulate her she explained that she began hunting out new walking trails recently. Two years ago Jess was struck by a car while using a Zebra crossing in Frankston. She suffered multiple injuries and has found walking an important part of her recovery.

Cliff has been an invaluable companion, especially since her other dog Elly died recently from cancer. “He has the most gorgeous eyes as you can see from the photo and we just can’t say no to him,” Jess said.

Gippsland resident Trilby Steinberger’s stunning image of her dog Doug, taken at sunrise on McGaurans Beach, won the ‘People’s Choice’ prize ($100).

Doug is a two-year-old Kelpie-Beagle-Ridgeback cross who loves walking along 90 Mile Beach near their home town of Darriman. Trilby did a photography course at Tafe 10 years ago but describes photography as a “serious hobby…  I’ve never done anything with it but take photos of dogs!”

Another of Doug’s favourite Gippsland locations is Mullungdung Conservation Nature Reserve.

Trilby’s advice to other budding dog photographers is to avoid the harsh, direct light of day and to “sneak up on them!” She used her phone camera for her winning photo but can often be seen donning a serious SLR camera on her dog walks.

You can find more of Jess and Trilby’s photos (and walking ideas) on our Dog friendly walks Facebook group.

As well as asking people to send in photos, we’ve been inspired by some unique dog names (Tommy TuTu, for example!) and learned about Victorians‘ favourite dog-walking destinations.

Thanks to all who participated; you’re helping us to expand our range of dog-friendly walking maps. Keep an eye on our Facebook group for new maps, plus tips and photos from other Victorian dog owners.

UPDATE: Entries have now closed. We're in the process of reviewing and judging all the wonderful entries. Thanks to all those who joined the fun! We'll announce the winners on Tuesday May 1st 2018, so check out our Facebook pages for news.

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Join our Victoria Walks Dog Walks Facebook group and send us a photo of your dog on his/her favourite walk for a chance to win a weekend away in Victoria's beautiful north-east!

We'll be looking for a photo that celebrates the joy of dog ownership and of walking and discovering new places together. Entries are due by 11.59pm on Wednesday April 25th 2018.

About the prizes

Best in show:  The winning entry will receive a two-night stay in the Chandelier Suite (plus cooked breakfasts) at the beautiful Must Love Dogs Bed and Breakfast in Rutherglen, Victoria (valued at $440). The winner may take one adult friend and up to two house-trained dogs! We'll contact the winner on Tuesday May 1st 2018.

People's Prize: The judges will shortlist their favourite entries for a Facebook album. The photo that attracts the most 'Likes' between Friday April 27th and Monday April 30th 2018 8.30pm will receive a $100 Coles voucher to spend on doggie treats (or whatever you like!)

How to enter (competition closed on April 25th 2018)
1. Join our Victoria Walks' Dog Walks Facebook group
2. Read our full Terms & Conditions here
3. Submit your photo or photos (max. 3) by completing the form at the bottom of this page. NOW CLOSED
**Photo must be 2MB in size or less for the form to work. We prefer photos 500KB-2MB.