Cultural and creative life

Little Sydney Lives: Recollections

A retrospective exhibition of winners from our children's photo competition ‘Little Sydney Lives’ – currently on display at Customs House.

  • Where's Wally?

    I love both Lego and Where's Wally.

    2018 winner: Age 3 to 7

    Credit: Koby Cleary
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  • The Little Things

    Sometimes it is the little things that are the most beautiful. We need to stop and notice them.

    2018 winner: Age 8 to 12

    Credit: Patrick McCarthy
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  • Zoom

    Zoom is my betta fish, and I enjoy taking photos of it.

    2019 winner: Age 3 to 7

    Credit: Nathan Lo
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  • Sydney's shiny metro northwest

    This is a photo of the first day of the metro opening. There were many people who were enthusiastic to be able to experience the first ride. Our family had the pleasure to be able to watch the process of the metro being built around our suburb.

    2019 winner: 8 to 12

    Credit: Jamie Clarke
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  • My new brother in Sydney

    My brother is six weeks old. I was born in Europe, and he was born in Sydney. Today I fell in school, then the doctor helped me. Now I’m home, my brother is hungry and my mum is tired, but I think being home with them is very joyful.

    2021 winner: Age 3 to 7

    Credit: Milena Bate
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  • Layla Rose Moshi

    Went out for dinner, put a coin in the Wishing Well and decided to take this image of the water shooting up from the fountain. I edited the photo, and also added a line to show the suns reflection.

    2021 winner: 8 to 12

    Credit: Layla Rose Moshi
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  • Sparkly Spikes

    It was a rainy afternoon, and my mum took us for a bushwalk to explore. My brother was feeling the bark on the trees, and I noticed the drops of water on the tips of the spikes on this tree. They were sparkling in the sunlight.

    2022 winner: Age 3 to 7

    Credit: Lacey Gritthiths
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  • Reflections in an Erko window

    Down the main street of Erko where I live, we always walked past this cafe that had Barbies in the window display. On this day they were eating together with fresh tomatoes, gnocchi, and the Italian looking tablecloth. It reminded me of my own Italian family lunches each Sunday.

    2022 winner: 8 to 12

    Credit: Waiaria Macedone-Hunt
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  • Charlotte of the Inner West

    A cool spider decided to live by our front gate for a little while. This one morning on our way to ballet class, we found it had left its web up, and the sun made it shine like something magical. My sister did not want to get any closer.

    2023 winner: Age 3 to 7

    Credit: Pina Macedone
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  • Man with his parrot

    I went to take photos with my dad at Circular Quay and saw this man with his pet parrot. I took a photo when the parrot looked at me. I would like to have my own pet parrot too.

    2023 winner: 8 to 12

    Credit: Orson Ferris
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See our Little Sydney Lives finalists from over the years displayed in Customs House on the ground floor, from 19 March until 31 August 2025.

Little Sydney Lives started in 2016 and is part of our Art & About program, a year-round series of temporary art projects in unusual spaces.

Our 2025 Little Sydney Lives competition is on now. Applications close 2 April 2025. Find out more and enter here.