and the winner is…. Euan Wilcox
Mother and Daughter: The Alpaca Photograph That Won a Hunter Photography Prize
And we are very stoked!
The photograph that recently won the Hunter Photography Prize, awarded through the Newcastle Herald, was one of those quieter moments.
Euan took it without any fuss. No staging. No planning. Just one of those pauses in the paddock that said more than a hundred carefully thought-out shots ever could. The image, titled Mother and Daughter, captures a simple connection between two alpacas at Little Valley Farm during breakfast, as they are completely themselves.
The judges clearly felt it too. The photograph was awarded the top honour in the photography prize for its composition and sense of calm. We were both pretty thrilled.
What makes the win even more special, at least for us, is where the photograph was taken: our farm.
For those who have already stayed with us from the deck at the Summerhouse, you can look down and see the same landscape that framed the winning image. The same mothers and cria and the laneway of trees that they love to rest in.
You might remember meeting Mother, Suki, and her daughter Oberon. Both white Huacaya alpacas. Both with that gentle, slightly aloof presence, alpacas seem to master so well.
Euan’s photography has always come from observation rather than interruption. When you live and work on the farm, the camera is never far away, but it’s never forced either. The animals come first. The image comes later - if it comes at all.
This moment happened in autumn, when the leaves shift into reds and soft orange hues. Even then, in the middle of everything, there was space for this small exchange between these two alpacas.
For us, the win feels like recognition of more than just a single image. It feels like a nod to a way of living. Slowing down. Noticing. Letting the land and the animals lead. Alpacas can be wonderfully aloof with people they don’t know, but they’re also full of quirks and quiet personality if you take the time to see it.
If you’re staying at Little Valley Summerhouse, you’re already part of that story. You’re sitting above the paddock where the photograph was taken. Watching the same alpacas go about their day. And sometimes, if the timing’s right, you might catch a moment like this.
You can read the full Newcastle Herald article about the win [here].
A little more about Euan…
Euan’s photography has grown quietly alongside farm life at Little Valley, guided more by observation than intention. Earlier this year, he was awarded Emerging Artist Photographer at the Laguna Art Show 2025, making this his second major photography win in the Hunter, which feels like a very nice moment.
A small selection of Euan’s framed photographic works is available in Wollombi Village at the homewares store Twine/Waterhen Traders.
You can see more of his work on his website or follow him on Instagram, where farm life and photography often overlap naturally.