That's a wrap! Wild At Art, Australia's biggest threatened species art competition for kids has concluded for 2026.
This year over 5000 children aged 5-12 put their creativity on the page, showcasing their chosen Australian threatened animal or plant.
Our panel of judges Jess Harwood, Ingrid Bartkowiak and Luke Player had the very difficult job of picking our winners from a very talented pool of finalists. We are so excited to share these beautiful works.
Congratulations to our 2026 winners!
Best artwork 5-7
Winner - 'Home at sunset' by Olivia, age 7
Second place - 'Starry diamond firetails' by Xavier, age 5
Best artwork 8-10
Winner - 'The curious Tasmanian devil' by Charlotte, age 10
Second place - 'Little black spirit of the sea' by Mingxi, age 9
Best artwork 11-12
Winner - 'Run, Mr Flecker's, run!' by Zenji, age 11
Second place - 'Our colours are fading' by Joshua, age 11
Best artwork by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child
Winner - 'Dhuri' by Brianna, age 9
Second place - 'The western swamp turtle' by Christopher, age 12
Best regional entry
Winner - The little sea dragon's secret garden' by Hailey, age 6
Second place - 'The plains wanderer in it's perfect habitat' by Steven, age 12
Best plant
Winner - 'The little pea among the flames' by Mimi, age 10
Second place - 'Darwinia Carnea' by Ray, age 12
Highly commended - 'Nature's white jewel' by Anarthikkah, age 9
Most unusual
Winner - 'Wollemi pine' by Jenny, age 11
Second place - 'Making a nest' by Remy, age 11
Best groupwork
Winner - 'Hidden in the garden' by Sofia Art for Kids
Second place - 'Celebrate and protect' by Winter's Flat Primary School
Founder's choice
Winner - 'One day I'll save you' by Lucy, age 8
People's choice
Winner - 'The red crown still shines' by Sophia, age 7
Best written entry
Winner age 5-7 - 'Every tiny life matters' by Leon, age 7
I chose the McDonald frog because it is tiny and I'm little too so I know how scared it must feel. I drew it on a McDonald's chip packet instead of a leaf to show that people can damage where they live. I also drew a really big sun because the weather is getting hotter and that makes it harder for the McDonald frogs, who like cool places, to survive. I want everyone to see that the frog has feelings so I showed him thinking his worried thoughts. If I was the tiny McDonald frog I would be worried about what might happen to my home and my family. I want everyone to know that even the smallest animals matter and we need to protect them.
Winner age 8-10 - 'Finding the light' by Max, age 8
Deep inside a cave, two Maugean Skates are swimming together. Even though they are hiding in the dark, a warm light shines down from above. I believe everyone has their own light. Sometimes life is hard, and we may feel lost, just like these animals. But if we keep swimming and never give up, one day we will find hope and a brighter future.Every endangered animal deserves a chance to find its own light.
Winner age 11-12 - 'The waves of the ocean' by Emma, age 11
Pygmy Blue whales are majestic and beautiful creatures, but unfortunately, they're facing the threat of extinction due to shipping, oil and gas exploration and climate-driven food loss.
The Pygmy Blue Whale also suffers from chronic stress from noise pollution. I was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism which means I struggle a lot with loud noises as well. It means a lot to me that there is an animal out there that I connect with. In my painting, I have drawn the Pygmy Blue Whales frolicking in the water happily together. I have also drawn two blue jellyfish playing along with the whales.
Congratulations to everyone who entered Wild At Art in 2026! We were blown away by the creativity, passion and talent on show this year. Keep an eye on our Wild At Art page for updates on dates for 2027.