Cumberland City Council has revealed the winners of its inaugural Capture the Bloom Photography Competition, celebrating photographers who used their creativity to document the colour, culture and community spirit of the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival.
Held at Auburn Botanic Gardens from 22 to 30 August 2026, this year’s Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival welcomed more than 53,000 visitors. The new photography competition was introduced to give festivalgoers an opportunity to share their personal perspectives and preserve memorable moments from one of Western Sydney’s much-loved annual celebrations.
Photographers of all experience levels were invited to participate, with entries showcasing the festival’s famous cherry blossoms alongside cultural experiences, family moments and the atmosphere created throughout the gardens.
Judges assessed the photographs for their creativity, technical ability and individual perspective, with the winning images standing out for the way they captured the character and beauty of the festival.
Cumberland City Council Mayor Ola Hamed congratulated the successful photographers and thanked everyone who entered the competition. She said Capture the Bloom offered photographers a meaningful way to demonstrate their skills while celebrating the beauty, culture and community spirit associated with the festival.
The first prize was awarded to Aaron Z Y Hu for an image titled “A golden honeybee hovers among sunlit sakura blossoms at the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival.” The winning photograph captures a small wildlife moment against the backdrop of the festival’s iconic cherry blossoms. Hu received a family wildlife experience for two adults and two children under 16 at the council’s wildlife facility.
Blossom Festival (Source: Supplied)
Sonia Poon secured second place with “Towards the end of the cherry blossom trail.” Her prize is a 12-month Blue Membership valued at $547, providing access to either Granville Swim Centre or Wentworthville Memorial Swim Centre.
Third place went to Ryan Krisna Dela Cruz for “Our little baby blue bear on cherry blossoms.” The photograph was recognised for its portrayal of a family moment surrounded by the festival’s colourful blossoms. Dela Cruz won a golf package for four at Rosnay Golf Course, including an 18-hole round, two electric golf carts and a box of golf balls.
The winning and shortlisted photographs reflect the wide range of experiences found across the festival, from detailed blossom and nature scenes to personal family memories. Together, the images offer different perspectives on the event and the reasons it continues to attract large crowds to Auburn Botanic Gardens.
Council thanked all photographers who took part and contributed to the inaugural competition, helping showcase the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival through photography and highlighting the creativity of the community.
The winning and shortlisted photographs are available to view through Cumberland City Council’s Capture the Bloom showcase.
