A NEW competition that aims to reduce the mosquito population in the Myall Lakes by creating more homes for tiny bats has been launched by the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest arts community.
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The Bat Flats Art Competition, launched by the Myall River Art Walk on Thursday, asks people to create a decorative outdoor artwork that doubled as a home for the microbat.
Microbats, some little bigger than butterflies, eat around 40 per cent of their weight in mosquitoes, sandflies and other insects each night.
“We’re looking forward to seeing lots of entries not just from locals but from all around Australia, from ceramic sculptors, painters, wood workers, mosaic artists, hobbyists and more,” competition organiser Leigh Allen said.
A prize pool of $10,000 was up for grabs with the winner to pocket $5000.
The competition asks artists to create a decorative work of art which was also a discreet bat flat - a home for the tiny microbat.
The microbat is listed as a threatened species.
Due to urbanisation, many of the microbat’s natural habitats were in decline.
For more competition information, bat flat guidelines and an entry form head to the Galleries in the Gardens website.
Entries close on Saturday, August 1.
Winning entries and finalists will be shown in an exhibition in Tea Gardens from October 2 to 5.
