Harvey region on show as sunrise image selected for national weather calendar

A Harvey region sunrise will be one of the first things people see early next year after a spectacular picture was chosen as the January image for the Bureau of Meteorology’s 2025 calendar.

The latest edition of BOM’s annual Australian Weather Calendar features a photograph of a golden sunrise in the skies above Mornington captured by WA photographer Bernard Shaw.

The month of January hosts the phenomenal shot, with three other WA photographs featured also showing off the Wheatbelt, North West and Kimberley.

National community information manager Andrea Peace said their images were chosen from a field of more than 500 entries showing off the different climate zones around the country.

“Each month features a photo of a different weather phenomenon alongside a meteorological description written by the bureau’s meteorologists,” Ms Peace said.

“The photos offer a glimpse into the science behind how the weather works, and how the bureau’s services meet the needs of the Australian community and industries.”

Mr Shaw said he was happy to be included after taking the image in the early hours of an August day around two years ago, only seeing a slight golden sky from his position on the ground.

“I couldn’t really tell until I got the drone up and I was just blown away,” he said.

“I shot as much as video and photos with the drone as possible, trying to make it the perfect angle.

“It was interesting shooting directly into the sun, but I think I got lucky that day, the sun wasn’t too high and it created this really cool sort of effect.”

Despite being a seasoned photographer, Mr Shaw said his sunrise shot was something he’d only get “once every few years”.

“It’s definitely the exception,” he said.

“And when you get these winning shots, it makes your whole year.”

Harvey shire president Michelle Campbell said the photograph captured the essence of the Harvey Region.

“This recognition is a fantastic way to celebrate local landscape and inspire appreciation for our natural environment,” she said.

“We’ve been working hard to elevate the profile of our region through our Destination Harvey Region team and our efforts feel rewarded because of this exposure.

“A big thank you to the Bureau of Meteorology for selecting Bernard Shaw’s drone image of Mornington as the first image in its 2025 Australian Weather Calendar.”

Mr Shaw said the South West was his favourite place to photograph.

“There’s definitely an insane variety of landscapes in WA’s South West, and I think it has that magic of having the colder weather, which can react really well with sunrises,” he said.

“Variety is key, but whenever there is a shoot down in the South West, I get excited.”