"What drew me immediately into Sally's work is the freedom and clarity in her use of paint," said guest judge, the Australian painter Ildiko Kovacs.
"Beautiful areas of abstracted shapes, alongside her use of the figurative, sit comfortably and feel coherent. There is a naturalness in her ability to marry the two."
The travelling art scholarship was established by Brett Whiteley's mother Beryl in 1999 and is open to emerging artists aged between 20 and 30.
In its 19th year, the prize allows the winning artist firsthand experience of Europe's dynamic contemporary art scenes while simultaneously immersed in art history and culture, an opportunity Brett Whiteley had when he won the Italian Government Travelling Art Scholarship aged 20.