Jack Evershed, Golden Boy (ANIMAL & NATURE 2024)

This series represents my mission to track one of Australia’s most elusive creatures – the Golden Swamp Wallaby. First hearing rumours of this rare morph in winter 2024, I became immediately captivated by its almost mythical allure. With only a handful of sightings on the Gold Coast and Stradbroke Island, and with many locals unaware of its presence, the task felt both daunting and thrilling. Every Saturday at 5 am over the winter, I made the hour-long drive, hoping to encounter this ultra-rare animal. Initially, sightings were sporadic - about once in every five attempts. But through patience, persistence, and observation, I grew more attuned to the wallaby’s movements and habits, gradually learning his routes through the forest. In total, I spent over 80 hours quietly observing this individual, capturing intimate moments and some behaviours that few – if any – have witnessed.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.