This year was the second year Café Connections held the Bridgewater Jerry Photography Competition, which saw a significant increase in submissions.

The competition ran through most of autumn and winter. It happened to be the driest winter in years, meaning we were very lucky to see Jerry at all, and even more lucky that folks managed a snap or two!

There were many brilliant submissions, and as has become the rule, they were judged on content, not quality. This meant that be it a professional shot or a quick pic on the mobile, all were judged equally.

Congratulations to Shane Viper (first place), Leesa Winter (second) and Emma Brown (third) on their winning photographs. In the end, the three winners all shared similar themes – the Jerry rolling down the river and in the process of consuming the equally iconic Bridgewater Bridge, the causeway, and the works being undertaken.

Café Connections is the brainchild of community leaders, a product of Sheryl Rainbird’s leadership program and run by Moira Davidson. The café is a place for local community members to come together to have intentional conversations about making a more positive and connected community.

2023 also saw Cafe Connections partner with Asthma Australia, who have sponsored this year’s competition. Together they came up with the theme ‘When Jerry is here, asthma season is near’. Our goal is to use this iconic piece of Hobart landscape as a visual cue, that the weather needed to make Jerry is also the same weather that causes the worst respiratory issues. According to Asthma Australia, our community has some of the highest levels of respiratory illnesses in the nation. When you see the Jerry, it’s the time to get an asthma action plan ready, review your medication and make sure your spacer is at the ready. Congratulations to the winners and those who made submissions to the competition.

Cafe Connections meets the fourth Tuesday monthly from 10am-12pm.