Marcia McMillan and her husband Scott manage Mullengudgery Merino Stud, and Mrs McMillan, who works as a special needs teacher travelling all over the district, took an amazing picture of her daughter running into a huge dust storm in January.

After sending the photo to ACM's The Land as a reminder of how the drought was a constant battle, as the nation suffered under the bushfire crisis, her photo was picked up by many international press agencies, and it went worldwide.

Mrs McMillan kept pursuing an award for her photo, entering the prestigious Head On photo awards.

Last Friday evening, at an online awards night, she was amazed to learn her photo of her daughter Raphaella running into the dust storm was selected as the best among hundreds of landscape photos sent in from 61 countries - and winning a $15,000 cash prize and other prizes.

Mrs McMillan said she had no idea she could win.

"The last 24 hours have been bit of a whirlwind and been a bit surreal. We really didn't expect to win, as there were so many brilliant entries/finalists."

Mrs McMillan called her entry "whimsical warrior" and described the photo as showing her daughter as "a farm girl who likes to dress up taking on the force of nature."

Her photo will now be showcased in an international Head On photo exhibition. She has also won a new Sony camera and other equipment to help her purse her love of photography.

Head On is a photographic not-for-profit organisation set up in 2008 to help bridge the gap between Australian and international photographers.