Magazine competition

October/November competition winners

Open category winner: Mango Adonis 

All the trials and tribulations 

Are worth the trouble. 

Each tribulation will teach you a lesson. 

Each lesson will form a branch. 

Each branch will form a tree. 

You are the roots and the trunk. 

Wherever you plant yourself, you will grow. 

Under rigorous conditions, 

You can wither or thrive. 

Surround yourself with people who help you grow. 

Find the beauty in hard times — 

For they are just a test. 

This trouble will soon pass. 

And then, you will blossom: 

New branches, new leaves, 

Forming wisdom along the way. 

Under 18 category winner: Henry, 12 

Hey, younger me — stop rushing. You won’t always have the people you 

love, so hug them longer, laugh louder, and say what you mean. You’ll 

lose things that feel like the end of the world — and somehow, still wake 

up. Grief will come, but so will joy. Let both in. 

To older me — I hope you still dance in the kitchen, cry during movies, 

and dream like no one ever told you to be realistic. If you're scared, it's 

okay. Just don’t stop living with your whole heart. And please… don’t 

forget how far we’ve come. 

August/September competition winners

Theme: wildlife you notice in Hobsons Bay 

Aashvi, 8

Amos, 11, origami pelican 

Jeremy, 13

June/July photography competition winner

Antonija Mell won our photography competition snapping her favourite art in Hobsons Bay.

April/May writing competition winners

Theme: living by the bay

Open winner - Andrew Ung

Morning light glints on wet sand— a long-neck turtle 

lumbers across the path, ancient, deliberate. 

I freeze. Time slows. 

Further on, the bay offers more: 

a cormorant’s dive, 

silver fish swimming, 

the sigh of seagrass at low tide. 

Every walk holds secrets— 

a shell, a tide-smoothed rock, 

the way the water remembers 

and forgets. 

Home is this: the surprise of small things, 

the bay’s quiet heartbeat. 

Under 18 winner - Ryan, 13

Waves crash, the breeze flows, 

Teddy chases where the sea goes. 

Ryan breathes, his heart slows, 

Altona Bay, where peace grows.

February/March drawing competition winners

Theme: what do you want to see in Hobsons Bay in the next ten years?

Open winner - Jasmine

Under 18 winner - Kyra, 8

Under 18 runner-up - Oscar, 9

Drawing of an open day at a nursing home for children to visit residents and learn about old people and their lives

December/January photography competition winner

Ashlyn Burr, theme: sunny summer snaps

 

August/September writing competition winner

Theme: the importance of community

Open winner - Huda Moutaz

In Hobsons Bay, where sun meets sea,

Community thrives, wild and free.

Neighbours greet with smiles so bright,

In every corner, warmth and light.

Shared stories under evening skies,

Laughter echoing, bonds that rise.

From bustling markets to quiet parks,

Unity's flame ignites our sparks.

Each gesture, small, a thread of grace,

Weaving together this cherished

place. In every heart, a common beat,

Hobsons Bay, where souls meet.

Here, we grow, support, and care,

A vibrant spirit, beyond compare.

Together, we flourish, hand in hand,

In Hobsons Bay, our shared land.

Under 18 winner - Isabel Cini

  

June/July photography competition winner

Kate Farrugia, theme: winter fun

April/May writing competition winners

Topic - heritage or cultural story, poem or haiku about Hobsons Bay in 100 words or less.

Winner - James Konstantinidis  

In the heart of Altona, amid the salty breeze and the lively Pier Street,  

my family's café stood as a beacon of community and camaraderie. As a  

young boy, I immersed myself in its rhythm, mastering the art of the  

barista and the stories behind each regular's favourite coffee. Nights  

unfurled into symphonies of chatter, where locals and those from far and  

wide, shared tales over the rich aroma of roasted beans. Closing up with  

my dad, under the amber glow of streetlights, became a cherished ritual,  

brewed with laughter and warmth. I never fathomed its end. Pedaling  

home for the last time, I lost a piece of my heart. Yet, Altona helped me  

find it — I guess home really is where the heart is. 

Under 18 winner - Ava McCutcheon from Williamstown

Hi, I’m Ava and I'm 9 years old. I am the 5th generation to go to St  

Mary's Primary School. When my Nan went to St Mary's, she marched  

into class, but I walk. Out my classroom window, I see the playground,  

but Nan saw the Post Office. At lunchtime Nan played hopscotch, I swing   

on the monkey bars. Nan was in a crowded classroom where 94 kids  

would sit on desks, the floor and windowsills, I have a table all to myself.  

The bell would ring by pulling a rope, now an electric bell rings. I must go  

to class, I hope you liked my story bye. 

February/March drawing competition winners

Kai, 7

Karin, 11

Helene Wild

January/December summer photography competition 

Congratulations Brett and Fredrieka Werner who won the best summer pic photography competition. 

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October/November writing competition 

First place

Congratulations Larisa Feliciano! 

Larisa won our writing competition on the theme of migratory birds. 

Winning entry

Homecoming

Soar.

Follow the flyway.

Embrace the wind

as it shifts from

shivering to warmth.

Glide.

See the frost bid its farewell.

Glimpse soft rays of light

piercing through the

dark horizon.

Sail.

See the vibrant shore

shimmering in the midday sun.

Inviting. Beckoning.

Just within reach.

Breathe.

Savour the summer breeze

as it soothes the weary heart

gently guiding ruffled wings

to familiar ground.

Welcome home.

First place - Under 18

Congratulations Dexter Appels!

Winning under 18 entry

In lands afar, these birds take flight,

Migrating through day and night.

With feathers so fancy and wings that soar,

They travel to places they've never seen before.

Over mountains tall and oceans wide,

They soar in flocks, side by side.

A journey long, a daring quest,

They never stop, they never rest.

So let's learn from these feathered herds,

To explore the world like migrating birds.

With hearts so free, and dreams that soar,

We'll find adventures, forevermore!

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August/September drawing competition 

Thank you to our young readers who submitted a drawing of their favourite playground or spot in Hobsons Bay. We were blown away by the talent and quality of entries. Congratulations to the winners! 

Under 12 prize 

Minnie, aged 10

Young person prize (12 to 25 years)

Chiyoka, aged 12 

Encouragement award

Hannah, aged 9 

Runners up 

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June/July photography competition

Congratulations to Sarah Dowling!

Sarah won our Hobsons Bay Hidden Treasures photography competition. The photo captures the Walking Man sculpture in Bladin Street, Laverton (near Maher Street)