The sky’s the limit: Norfolk Island photo wins top creative prize at UniSQ

A breathtaking view of the Norfolk Island night sky has earned 18-year-old Hudson Oliver top honours in the University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) inaugural Creative Competition.

His entry, Norfolk Star Trails, photographically explores the marvel of the night sky through a unique star trail composed of over 50 images.

Norfolk Star Trails is the equivalent of a 30-minute image and visually showcases why Norfolk Island is considered one of the best places in the world to see stars.

The 2024 Creative Competition was an initiative of the UniSQ School of Humanities and Communication to celebrate the creativity of Year 11 and 12 students across Queensland.

Students were encouraged to let their creativity shine through in any format – digital, written, video, illustrated, or audio – for the chance to win cash prizes of $1,000 for first place and $500 for runner-up.

Categories included Creative Writing, Photography, Advertising, Journalism, Media Studies, English Literature, and Communication.

We recently spoke to Hudson about his experience and the inspiration behind Norfolk Star Trails.

What made you want to enter the 2024 Creative Competition?

I was given a brochure advertising the competition while visiting UniSQ on their 2024 Open Day. I have a love of photography, so I decided to enter and see what would happen. The cash prize was also a nice incentive!

Can you tell us about your winning entry, Norfolk Star Trails, and your inspiration?

I was on a holiday to Norfolk Island. We visited the ex-convict settlement of Kingston. I had done some research on creating long star trails. I had also heard that Norfolk Island is one of the best places in the world to see stars, so I decided to experiment with the night sky. The long boat became a beautiful subject with just enough ambient light from the moon and streetlights. It was situated nicely in front of the southern celestial pole, which created the beautiful circles in the sky above. This one image is composed of around 50 individual photos, each with an exposure of 30 seconds. These images where then overlayed into one photo in editing. This is equivalent to around a 30-minute exposure.

Have you always had a passion for photography? Why do you love it?

Yes. I became interested in photography when I purchased my first DJI camera drone when I was nine years old. Since then, I have grown my photography kit to include DSLRs, action cameras, gimbals and new drones. I love composing images of nature that are unique and have a ‘wow’ factor. I love the challenge of tweaking the setting on the camera to ensure a perfectly exposed and framed image.

How did you feel when you were announced the winner of the 2024 Creative Competition?

When the results were announced, I was on a service trip in the Solomon Islands. Internet and phone reception was poor, and the message was relayed to me via my parents and teachers that I had won first prize. I felt pride and joy, as well as a little disbelief when I heard the news. It was like I was in a dream. Having my work recognised has inspired me to keep taking photos to see what other images I can create.

Would you recommend the Creative Competition to others?

Yes! I would absolutely recommend it. It’s a great way to get exposure for your work and motivates you to produce high-quality work.

The full list of UniSQ 2024 Creative Competition Winners include:

• Overall Winner (Photography): Hudson Oliver from Darling Downs Adventist College.
• Runner-Up (Creative Writing): Jessica Hani from Highlands Christian College.
• Runner-Up (Photography and Film): Keira Cousen from Pittsworth State High School.
• Runner-Up (English Literature): Sally Kim from Mansfield State School.

Contact UniSQ’s School of Humanities and Communication to learn more about the 2025 Creative Competition.