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No.1 Community & Connection

One Kitchen. Many Stories. One Community.
At first glance, this photo is simply Nick preparing food. But look closer, and it tells a bigger story. Community Canteen is powered by volunteers from all walks of life and every kind of background. They come together in the kitchen, bringing different stories, skills and experiences, united by a desire to give back. Every week, they prepare hundreds of fresh, nutritious meals for people experiencing homelessness or hardship. And something happens here that goes both ways. While our volunteers give their time, they receive friendship, connection and a sense of belonging in return. One kitchen. Many stories. One community.
Community Canteen
From Hometown to Home
This photograph captures a gathering of the Wuxi community in Brisbane. The association was formed by people from Wuxi, Jiangsu, brought together by their shared connection to their hometown. Through regular community activities, members celebrate and pass on their cultural traditions, strengthen friendships and support one another in their new home. These gatherings are more than reunions of people from the same hometown — they help build a sense of belonging, encourage neighbours to look out for one another, and create opportunities for cultural exchange within Queensland’s diverse multicultural community.
Tao Yong
Celebrating Culture Through Dance
In 2025, Brisbane’s Vietnamese community marked 50 years of Vietnamese settlement in Queensland—half a century of building new lives while carrying forward the culture and traditions of home. This photograph captures the Vietnamese Seniors’ Dance Group performing at a special Gala commemorating this milestone. Through their graceful movements, the dancers share more than a traditional performance; they carry memories, heritage and identity across generations. Surrounded by guests from many different cultural backgrounds, their performance reflects how traditions brought to Australia can continue to flourish and become part of Queensland’s multicultural story. Fifty years on, their dance is both a celebration of where they came from and of the community they now call home.
Vien Truong
Where the Heart Belongs
For 21 years, Brisbane has been my home, and I feel deeply grateful to Australia for the opportunities and life it has given me. Giving back is my way of saying thank you. I have proudly raised $52,000 for St Vincent de Paul, supporting its mission to build 500 homes for people experiencing homelessness. At the same time, living far from Indonesia has only strengthened my connection to my heritage. I proudly celebrate and share my culture by organising Indonesian group dances with local women and performing at multicultural events across Brisbane. My roots shape who I am, wherever I call home.
Bernadetha Windu
A Bridge of Friendship
This is a picture of the Story Bridge in Brisbane, Australia. Bridges connect different places, just like they connect people from many different countries. As an International student from Japan, I feel very comfortable studying in Queensland. I think Queensland is a safe and welcoming place for oversea students and Australia is a multicultural country, and people from all over the world live together. I think this bridge is a symbol of harmony and friendship.
Tomohiro TANAKA

No.2 Family, Friendship & Love

I Am Happy You Are Here With Us
My eight-year-old daughter hugged my wife and said, “I am happy you are here with us,” as we walked among the pine trees at our Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Walloon during Lunar New Year. Her simple words touched me deeply. After my wife’s long journey through depression and recovery, this moment felt like a new turning point for our family. I had almost given up photography while focusing on supporting the two people I love most. That day, I felt blessed to take my old camera out again and bring it with us. After a beautiful day together, we walked beneath the golden afternoon sunlight—just the three of us, enjoying nature, each other, and a moment I was fortunate enough to capture.
Thiện Tín
Romance Made Tangible – Connection with Others
On my way back from North Stradbroke Island, I captured a beautiful moment on the ferry deck. A couple sat quietly together, looking towards the ocean, creating a scene that felt like a frame from a film. I happened to have my camera with me and took a photo for them. After showing them the image, they were delighted and shared their Instagram with me. Later, I sent them the final photo. This simple encounter reminded me that photography is more than capturing moments — it is a bridge that connects strangers and shares genuine emotions.
Zirong Liu
A Little Further
At sunset, a child walked barefoot along a ribbon of water, while his father followed a few steps behind. He did not hold the child’s hand, but stayed close enough to watch him wander, stumble and explore. Since coming to Australia, I have often been moved by moments like this. Children are given space to discover the world for themselves, while those who love them remain quietly nearby. In that moment, I realised I had fallen in love with more than Australia’s landscape. I had also fallen in love with this gentle kind of love: giving someone freedom, while always being there when they turn around.
Yang Li
An Unexpected Encounter
Photographed in West End, Brisbane, this image captures the most touching scenery on the street—not necessarily the graffiti, but that warm and hearty laughter. A golden retriever, a shared glance, and a burst of laughter make an ordinary day feel exceptionally heartwarming.
FUPING QU

No.3 Social Impact & Inspiration

Packs of Care
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, essential items such as masks, hand sanitiser, soap, gloves and toilet paper became difficult for many people to access. In response, members of Brisbane’s Chinese community came together as volunteers to prepare care packs for people in need. Over one week, a small team packed thousands of essential items into around 1,000 care packs, which were distributed to local elderly residents and people living with disability. This photograph captures volunteers working together after school and work to prepare the packs. It reflects a simple but important part of multicultural Australia: communities supporting not only their own members, but reaching beyond cultural boundaries to care for others when help is needed most.
Mark Chiu
Words That Bind a Community
Maria Dulce Relvas has dedicated almost four decades to preserving and passing on Portuguese language and culture across three countries. Beginning her teaching career in Mozambique in 1971, she continued teaching Portuguese in South Africa from 1975 to 1997. After moving to Brisbane in 1997, she taught Portuguese language and culture until 2010 and completed a Master of Education (TESOL) in 1999. For many years, Dulce was the only Portuguese teacher serving Brisbane’s Portuguese community and Australians wishing to learn the language. Beyond the classroom, she brought generations together through Radio 4EB programs, cultural celebrations, theatre, excursions and family activities. Now retired, she remains an active supporter of her community—a lifetime devoted to keeping language, heritage and cultural identity alive.
Maria Dulce Relvas
Beyond the Horizon
Captured at sunset at Lovewell Cafe, Mt Gravatt Lookout overlooking Brisbane. This sweeping view over the horizon mirrors the meaning of Lovewell: a safe haven for women surviving domestic violence, where they work, learn and rebuild their confidence. The bird beside a coffee, gazing into the fading light, embodies gentle hope—leaving hard chapters behind, just as this sunset opens toward a new horizon.
Mingxiao Ni
Every Step Matters
Every year, my family wakes up before sunrise for the Mater Chicks in Pink Fun Run. This year, on International Women's Day, we crossed the Story Bridge together — Mum, Dad, my sisters, and me, all in pink. I rode on a police motorcycle, high-fived Ninja turtle, and laughed the whole 5km with my little sister beside me. But what stays with me isn't the walk — it's knowing our steps and small donations help Mater's Breast Cancer Support fund women fighting cancer. Being 13, I'm learning that showing up for others, together as a family, is what community really means.
Catherine Huang

No.4 Culture & Heritage

Dancing Through Generations
Indonesia’s extraordinary diversity inspired me to share its cultural heritage in Australia. In 2011, I started a small dance group with my children, who learned traditional dances in Indonesia and performed across Queensland. As they grew older, my wife and I continued the journey ourselves, discovering dance as a way to preserve culture, stay active, and connect with others. Today, Viva Indonesia Lestari Dance Group has grown to more than twenty dancers, sharing over ten traditional dances across Queensland. This photograph captures fifteen years of family, resilience, cultural preservation, friendship, and belonging—showing how sharing our traditions can bring communities and generations together. Indonesia’s extraordinary diversity inspired me to share its cultural heritage in Australia. In 2011, I started a small dance group with my children, who learned traditional dances in Indonesia and performed across Queensland. As they grew older, my wife and I continued the journey ourselves, discovering dance as a way to preserve culture, stay active, and connect with others. Today, Viva Indonesia Lestari Dance Group has grown to more than twenty dancers, sharing over ten traditional dances across Queensland. This photograph captures fifteen years of family, resilience, cultural preservation, friendship, and belonging—showing how sharing our traditions can bring communities and generations together.
Gatut Sudarjanto, Viva Indonesia Lestari Dance Group
A Spirit Undiminished
Photographed during Brisbane’s ANZAC Day parade on 25 April 2023. A family member of a veteran joins the procession in a wheelchair, reflecting dignity, resilience and an enduring connection to the ANZAC tradition.
Chao Liping
First Light's Wish
A couple months ago, I was planning to give an old car to my colleague who lives in Wynnum. My girls said, "Why don't we go together and watch the sunrise at the beach while we're at it?" That morning, the clouds weren't spectacular, but the sky was clear. A lot of people were on the beach watching the sunrise, walking or exercising, walking their dogs, or taking photos. I was focusing on taking photos of a lady who was praying and seeking blessings on the beach in the first rays of morning light. What a harmonious, peaceful, and beautiful scene!
WENLONG LI
Stitches and Hope
Born in Vietnam in 1948, Lien studied microbiology and worked at the Pasteur Institute before war changed the course of her life. After losing her husband, she came to Australia seeking freedom, safety and a better future for her six young children. In Brisbane, she studied at QUT and returned to laboratory work, but eventually gave up the career she loved to be present for her children. With two sewing machines, she supported her family from home while nurturing their education. Today, her children are successful health professionals contributing to Australian society. Lien also continues to give back, using her sewing skills to create traditional áo dài for Vietnamese community commemorations—a story of sacrifice, resilience, family and cultural heritage.
Roger Mai

No.5 Nature, Environment & Landscape

Breathing Life
In Queensland, every season tells a story of life. Jacarandas bloom like purple dreams beneath endless skies, while the sunset paints the ocean and island trees with golden fire. Along quiet eucalyptus forests, koalas rest peacefully, carrying the wisdom of the land. Kangaroos leap across open fields, moving with fearless energy toward the horizon. Together, they reveal a place where gentleness and strength grow side by side. Here, nature never stands still; it breathes, blossoms, and endures. Vitality lives not only in its landscapes and wildlife, but also in every sunrise, every breeze, and every hopeful step into tomorrow.
Yuzhou Yang
Wings Against the Wind
Each day at noon, the pelicans gather by the sea, patiently waiting for their 1:30 feeding. After the rush for food, they return to the water, drinking peacefully and contentedly. Through the years, I have photographed them again and again, watching them through changing seasons. Only later did I realise that I was not simply capturing pelicans, but the passing of time-sea breezes, quiet waiting, familiar faces, and friendship. Some friends need no words; meeting again, as always, is enough to warm a lifetime.
Grace Huang
Under the Same Sky
From Mount Coot-tha, Brisbane awakens beneath the colours of sunrise. I was drawn to the contrast between the quiet trees and the distant city skyline, but two people standing together, silently watching the dawn, gave the scene deeper meaning. As someone from a different cultural background now living in Brisbane, I have come to see the city as a shared home for people from many cultures, countries and walks of life. We may have different stories and experiences, yet we share the same places and moments. For me, this sunrise represents connection, inclusion and belonging—a new day we experience together.
Jason Ni
Sunlight and Breeze
Life is made up of things that may seem ordinary, yet make each day extraordinary—the grass, the sunlight, the breeze, the clouds, and every living being. Each of us is unique, and every morning we open our eyes is a reminder to be grateful for one another’s presence and for the beautiful, diverse world we share.
Emico Hou

No.6 Photography of the Year

One Sky
Every culture has its own stories of the moon. Some see it as a guide, others as a symbol of celebration, reflection or renewal. During this total lunar eclipse in Flagstone Queensland, those stories briefly shared the same sky. The changing moon became a quiet reminder that while our languages, traditions and journeys may differ, we are all connected by moments of wonder that belong to everyone. Like the road below, each path is unique, yet beneath the same moon we find a common horizon—one that invites understanding, belonging and the simple beauty of looking up together.
Tarajot Singh
A Bridge to a New Beginning
After five years working at Universal Studios Beijing, I left a stable life behind and came to Australia with my camera, hoping to discover a new side of myself. Arriving in Brisbane with limited English, I faced the challenges of a new language, culture and uncertain future. Photography became my way of connecting with the city when words were difficult. Photographing the Kangaroo Point Bridge, I began to see a bridge as more than a structure. People from different backgrounds cross it every day, each carrying their own story and moving towards their own future. For me, it became a symbol of my own journey—crossing barriers of language, culture and uncertainty, and discovering that an unfamiliar city can gradually become a place of connection, possibility and belonging.
Andy Zhang
The Highest Good Flows Like Water
More than twenty years ago, I left China and found another home in Brisbane. Over the years, Queensland’s oceans, lakes, sunrises and sunsets have quietly become part of my life. Living close to water has taught me something about life: to adapt with grace, move forward with resilience, and embrace what comes with an open heart. This photograph, taken beneath a vast Queensland sunset, captures that feeling. Through travelling, running and sharing these landscapes with family and friends, I have learned that home is not simply where we come from. Like water, life carries us to new places. With time, we adapt, connect and belong—until a once unfamiliar land quietly becomes part of who we are.
Jason Fu

No.7 Multicultural Legacy Story Award

Roots Preserved, A Life in Brisbane

–Gloria Marinelli

In 1982, aged 12, Gloria migrated from Portugal to Brisbane with her parents and younger brother, beginning their new life at the Wacol Immigration Centre. After learning English at Corinda and Oxley, she attended Yeronga State High School. From 1983–1987, she proudly performed with the Portuguese Family Centre’s traditional dance group. In 1988, Gloria joined Swiss Gourmet Delicatessen, bringing her Portuguese cooking traditions into the business. She married Peter Marinelli in 1991 and raised three children. Around 2000, Gloria and her husband helped revive the struggling Portuguese Club, restoring it within a year. More than four decades after arriving in Australia, Gloria remains deeply connected to her heritage—building a new life while keeping her culture alive for future generations.