AUSTRALIAN PELICAN
Pelecanus conspicillatus

Australian pelicans feed by plunge-diving while swimming on the surface of the water. They work in groups to drive fish to shallower water, where they stick their sensitive bills in to snatch their prey. On this very wet and overcast day, this bird was feeding alone, hence the name Solo.

Hinze Dam, Queensland

Fuji GFX 100, Fuji GF 250mm with 1.4 extender (350mm), 1/125, f/5.6, ISO 200, handheld

GREEN TURTLE
Chelonia mydas

LION’S MANE JELLYFISH
Cyanea capillata

This young green turtle was eagerly snacking on a lion’s mane jellyfish at Julian Rocks like a child eating candy floss. She took such a large mouthful that the jelly morsel wrapped around her face like a veil as she kept swimming blindly towards the surface.

Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, New South Wales

Canon 5DsR, Canon 16–35mm, 1/160, f/7.1, ISO 320, handheld, Isotta underwater housing

SPOTTED EAGLE RAY
Aetobatus ocellatus

Spotted eagle rays like to play in the swell at Julian Rocks. Holding hard to avoid being swept in the surge, it took several dives to finally capture a clear shot of the ray emerging from the rolling waves like a true eagle flying out of a mountain storm.

Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, New South Wales

Canon 5DsR, Canon 14mm, 1/200, f/13, ISO 400, Retra strobes, handheld, Isotta underwater housing

GREY FANTAIL
Rhipidura albiscapa

A silhouetted small bird making repeated brief forays from a tree into a cloud of insects. I managed to capture an attractive wing spread by setting a fast shutter speed and focusing on the tree with a wide enough zoom. The insects the grey fantail was attacking were also impressively clear.

(Near) Bodalla, New South Wales

Olympus OMD EM1 Mk II, Olympus M.40 150mm f2.8 150mm, 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 200, handheld, processed using Adobe Light Room including Topaz Sharpening plug-in

RED INDIAN FISH
Pataecus fronto

The red Indian fish owes its name to how it resembles the warbonnets of native North American leaders. I wanted to emphasise the noble appearance of this special animal, and experimented with various lighting techniques to produce this moody portrait. This photographic effect is obtained in-camera with a single exposure.

Bare Island (Botany Bay), Sydney, Australia

Nikon D500, Tokina 10–17mm, 1/4, f/18, ISO 100, Retra Flash Pro with Retra LSD Snoot, handheld

KNOBBY SEAHORSE
Hippocampus breviceps

A knobby seahorse hunts its prey in the cold night-time waters off Kettering, Tasmania. Sitting still amongst the seagrass, they become almost invisible to the untrained eye. It’s an amazing experience seeing these tiny seahorses hunt their crustacean prey late at night.

Kettering, Tasmania

Olympus OMD EM1 Mk II, Olympus 30mm macro, 1/100, f/7.1, ISO 200, handheld, external Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobe (flash) with Retra Snoot attachment, Isotta underwater housing

GIANT CUTTLEFISH
Sepia apama

Giant cuttlefish are often seen and approached by swimmers and divers along the southern coast of Australia in late winter. This is the largest of all cuttlefish species, and despite being colourblind, they are masters of camouflage with the ability to change their size, shape, colour and even texture of their bodies.

Sydney, New South Wales

Sony A7 III, Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS, 1/200, f/3.5, ISO 250, handheld while freediving, Seafrogs underwater housing with 6″ dome port

DINGO
Canis lupus dingo

Returning from a night’s hunt empty-handed, an alpha male
coastal dingo overlooks the sea
atop a dune’s crest. Asserting his dominance, he holds his head high
and gently walks forward as the sun rises. Unshaken, he’ll rest before setting out once more to find food for the pack.

Myall Lakes, New South Wales

Canon EOS 1DX Mk II, Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L II USM, 1/800, f/4.0, ISO 200, handheld

SALTWATER CROCODILE
Crocodylus porosus

UNKNOWN BOVID

As this Jurassic predator rose from beneath the glass-like greenish-brown water of Corroboree Billabong in Australia’s top end, it was clear that he was there to stake ownership of this meal that likely wandered too close to the edge of the water at the wrong time.

Corroboree Billabong, Northern Territory

DJI Mavic Air 2, DJI Mavic Air 2, 1/200, f/2.8, ISO 100

PORT JACKSON SHARK
Heterodontus portusjacksoni

Over the breeding season (winter into spring), female Port Jackson sharks lay a pair of eggs every fortnight and place them in narrow gaps between the rocks for protection. Almost 90 per cent of laid eggs fall prey to other sharks, making the embryo-to-hatchling period the most dangerous time of their lives.

Sydney, New South Wales

Sony A7 III, Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS, 1/160, f/3.5, ISO 125, handheld while freediving, Seafrogs underwater housing with 6″ dome port

DUSKY LEAF-NOSED BAT
Hipposideros ater

FIREFLY
Lampyridae

Each spring, the Great Dividing Range is treated to a magical event. After sunset, bioluminescent fireflies emerge from the darkest corners of the forest for a short time. However, they’re not entirely safe. Insectivorous dusky leaf-nosed bats leaving their roost capture fireflies mid-flight, displaying a stunning acrobatic aerial battle.

Ella Bay National Park, Queensland

Canon 7D, Tamron 24–70mm, 3.27 x 7, f/11, ISO 400, 5 x Yougnuo YN-560IV, Zoomei Q666C tripod, Cognisys Range IR high speed motion sensor, seven images compiled from the same location and time

MUSK DUCK
Biziura lobata

One of the musk duck’s unique features is its stiff tail feathers. The ducks can fan them out, which helps make them great photography subjects. This image of a musk duck showcases the stiff tail feathers flicking the water whilst diving for fish.

Lysterfield, Victoria

Canon 1Dx II, EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM + EF Extender 1.4x III, 1/4000, f/8.0, ISO 2000, flash-fired, manual exposure, handheld

PORT JACKSON SHARK
Heterodontus portusjacksoni

From winter into spring, Port Jackson sharks arrive at the temperate waters of Cabbage Tree Bay. These sharks are active at night and rest on the rocky reef during the day. I had followed this shark into a narrow cavity where suddenly this spectacular shelter and grooming station appeared.

Sydney, New South Wales

Sony A7 III, Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS, 1/80, f/3.5, ISO 800, handheld while freediving, Seafrogs underwater housing with 6″ dome port

GHOST WASP
Gasteruption fibuliforme

This lady is just doing what’s best for her children. She is providing them with a safe place to grow up and food to go with it. Sure, that might mean that a few bees must die, but a parasitoid has got to do right by her kids first.

Mitcham, Adelaide, South Australia

Canon EOS 5D Mk IV, EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM, 1/100, f/9.0, ISO 100, remote Canon flash, handheld, manual mode, Camtraptions remote flash trigger

SOUTHERN EAGLE RAY
Myliobatis tenuicaudatus

A large southern eagle ray cruising peacefully in shallow water after sunset.

South Coast, New South Wales

Nikon D850, Nikkor 16mm fisheye f/2.8, 1/160, f/11, ISO 250, AquaTech LUX flash, AquaTech Elite water housing

HUMPBACK WHALE
Megaptera novaeangliae

TIGER SHARK
Galeocerdo cuvier

A humpback whale carcass found on the ocean floor, stripped clean of its flesh by surrounding sharks. This sub-adult whale died while making the annual migration north along the Ningaloo Reef. A harsh act of Mother Nature, but an important part of the natural ecosystem.

Coral Bay, Western

Australia Sony A7R II, Canon EF 8–15mm f/4, 1/320, f/10, ISO 400, handheld, Nauticam underwater housing

SPOTTED WOBBEGONG
Orectolobus maculatus

Spotted wobbegongs are another common carpet shark species found in Sydney. They are safely approached by divers every day. Their skin pattern provides a unique camouflage which blends with surrounding rocks and seabed where most of their time is spent. Wabigang and dhabigang are words from the Dharug and Tharawal Aboriginal language groups, meaning ‘shaggy beard’.

Sydney, New South Wales

Sony A7 III, Sony FE 28–70mm f3.5–5.6 OSS, 1/160, f/3.5, ISO 800, handheld while freediving, Seafrogs underwater housing with 6″ dome port