PALE OCTOPUS
Octopus pallidus

Not all trash and human impact in our oceans is negative. Local divers built this artificial reef out of shopping trolleys and toilets, and within a number of days it became host to a significant number of pale octopus, many of which mated and laid eggs inside the toilet systems.

Rye, Victoria

Olympus OMD EM1 Mk II, Olympus 8mm fisheye, 1/160, f/16, ISO 200, 2 x Sea&Sea YS-D2 strobes

I was photographing patterns in the natural coastal landscape on the NSW north coast from a helicopter, and saw this ironic zoomorphic shape created by the canal estate, a form created by transforming what used to be a natural wetland ecosystem.

Clarence River Estuary, Yamba, New South Wales

Sony ILCE 7RM4, Sony FE 24–70mm f2.8 GM, 1/1250, f/5, ISO 400, UV filter, aerial from helicopter

The world is beginning to acknowledge a full-scale environmental crisis from global warming, while the Australian Government supports the opening of some of the world’s biggest coal mines to extract coal to burn for electricity. How can we find a sustainable balance between our growing energy resource needs and the wellbeing of the world’s natural ecosystems?

Central Queensland

Pentax 645, Pentax 55mm 2.8, 1/800, f/5.6, ISO 800, handheld from a helicopter

TASMANIAN DEVIL
Sarcophilus harrisii

This healthy adult devil has just undergone a routine health check. With observations noted and a few DNA samples extracted, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program team can release the marsupial back into the wilderness. The work is critical to understanding, managing, and hopefully developing a cure for the devastating devil facial tumour disease.

Lake Leake, Tasmania

Sony A1, Sony 135 GM, 1/1600, f/2.8, ISO 800, handheld

A red kangaroo lies dead on the side of an outback road. Despite being an iconic symbol, thousands share a similar fate annually. This kangaroo had been dragged from the impact site to reduce the chance of predators also becoming roadkill. During such accidents, a female’s pouch should be checked and wildlife care organisations contacted.

Denham, Western Australia

DJI Phantom 4 Pro, 24mm, 1/2500, f/4, ISO 100

This photo of Broken Hill Mine was taken during my journey to document Australia’s historical mines. The Miners Memorial building on the top of the mine looks like a spaceship landing on Mars. It shows how landscape was changed by mining activities.

Broken Hill Mine, Broken Hill,
New South Wales

Sony ILCE-7RM4, Sony FE 16–35mm f/2.8, 13, f/4, ISO 1600, tripod

REQUIEM CHARK
Carcharhinus sp.

As recreational fishing increases in localised hotspots on the West Australian coastline, sharks are being drawn to these areas for an easy meal as fish are hauled up from the depths. This one presumably got a fish, and a hook and tracer to go with it. Not an unusual sight.

Steep Point, Western Australia

Sony A7 IIIR, Canon fisheye 8–15mm f4 14mm, 1/80, f/16, ISO 640, Sea&Sea YS-D3 strobes, handheld

INDO HERMIT CRAB
Coenobita sp.

Waste is not just waste but a whole other resource, let’s start using all our resources constructively.

Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Olympus EM1 Mk II, Olympus 12–100mm f4, 1/250, f/5.6, ISO 250, Olympus FL-900R flash, custom diffuser

WHALE SHARK
Rhincodon typus

Every day on social media people compete for ‘likes’, sometimes leading to attention-grabbing behaviour. This creates a domino effect as more and more people try to emulate or better the images they’ve seen on social media, without a thought to what the impact might be.

Vava’u, The Kingdom of Tonga

Nikon Z7, Nikkor 14–30mm f4 S series, 1/400, f/8, ISO 500, Aquatica AD6/7 housing, Matty Smith 12″ dome port