Television princess shows eco-warrior credentials

Lucy Lawless aims to raise environmental awareness. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Television star Lucy Lawless has stepped behind the lens to encourage supposedly green but often inactive New Zealanders to protect their environment.

The Xena: Warrior Princess and Spartacus actor is one of a group of 10, including a film director, musician, television host, sports star and acclaimed designer, who were asked to photograph a slice of nature.

The works - from Dave Dobbyn's portrait of Antarctica to Mils Muliaina's striking image of the Invercargill beach where he grew up - will be auctioned on Trade Me for charities chosen by the photographers.

Lawless said she chose to capture an image of a frog because the creatures were highly sensitive to water and forest health, and crucial barometers for our environment.

Ecoya executive manager Geoff Ross, whose firm is running the Illuminate Our Place photo exhibition, said New Zealand's green intentions were not often backed by action.

"Taking better care of our environment can't simply be left to a few organisations working in a couple of rainforests or the icecaps. The world didn't get in its current shape because of a few forms of mismanagement," Mr Ross said.

"Every one of us has a slice of this country's special places embedded deep within us. This type of illumination is designed to get those places in front of so many more people. The bigger conversation creates greater attention and ultimately protection."

The exhibition also includes Amazing Race founder Phil Keoghan's photograph of the pristine New Chum beach in the Coromandel.

The photographs were unveiled on Wednesday night at Achilles House in Auckland. The auction closes on August 31.