Winners of Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year

Sep 03, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A close-up image of dandelion seeds intertwined with thin, red tree-like branches, creating an intricate, almost surreal forest pattern against a blue and yellow background. — Overall winner – Inside-out view of a cauliflower soft coral. Named for its characteristic appearance that resembles a cauliflower, with numerous small, rounded, bump-like polyps that give it a puffy texture. This unique perspective was made possible by the Nauticam EMWL, an underwater version of the probe or insect eye lens. | Ross Gudgeon

A psychedelic inside-out macro view of a cauliflower soft coral has been named the winner of the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year.

The photograph taken by Western Australian photographer Ross Gudgeon was captured in the waters of Lembeh Strait, off North Sulawesi, in Indonesia.

The coral is named for its characteristic resemblance to a cauliflower, with numerous small, rounded, bump-like polyps that give it a puffy texture.

Gudgeon was able to achieve the unique perspective by using a Nauticam extended macro wide lens (EMWL), an underwater version of the probe or insect eye lens.

For his achievement, Gudgeon received the overall winner’s prize of $6,530 (10,000AUD) and a cruise with Coral Expeditions. Winners in the competition’s 10 categories also received $980 (1,500AUD) each.

Animals in Nature

A top-down view of a shark swimming over a dense cluster of sea urchins and crabs, blending into the textured, spiky background beneath the water. — Winner of Animals in Nature category. Each year, on the full moon, tens of thousands of spider crabs gather to shed their shells. At this time, they become soft and vulnerable to predation from sharks and large rays so they bunch up in epic numbers to protect themselves. This Port Jackson shark was cruising over the hoard. | Charles Davis

A crocodile emerges from the water, with droplets splashing around its legs and jaws, against a blurred background of green foliage. — Etienne Littlefair

A close-up front view of a seabird, likely an albatross, flying with wings spread wide against a pale blue sky. The bird's yellow beak and intense gaze are prominent. — Chris Young

A rainbow lorikeet with vibrant blue, green, yellow, and orange feathers clings to the side of a tall, flowering plant against a bright blue sky. Its wings are spread as if about to take flight. — Brandon Pasowicz

A small bird with yellow and white plumage perches on a mossy tree branch against a soft, blurred green background. The bird faces forward, looking slightly downward. — Bernie Shore

Threatened Species

A bat flies at night with its wings spread wide against a dark sky, silhouetted trees visible below. — Winner of the Threatened Species category. Ghost bats are rare and elusive, with strict roost requirements. After years studying these nocturnal predators with thermal optics, I’ve discovered a handful of regularly frequented locations in the escarpment surrounding my home. This image was captured on 1 January 2025 – an incredible way to usher in the New Year. | Etienne Littlefair

A blue lobster with white markings and large claws walks on the rocky bottom of an underwater scene, illuminated by sun rays streaming through the water. — Alex Pike

Three numbat mammals with striped fur sit closely together on a piece of wood, facing left. The background is dark and blurred, highlighting the animals’ distinct markings. — Lewis Burnett

A dark-furred animal, possibly a Tasmanian devil, sits on snow-covered ground at night as large snowflakes fall, with rocks and darkness in the background. — Michael Eastwell

Our Impact

A small lizard stands upright on a brick surface, looking up toward a metal object on the right. The background is out of focus, highlighting the lizard’s details. — Winner of the Our Impact category. Discovered in a brick wall at home, a small garden skink was trapped in a hole. I felt helpless as the lizard thrashed its body from side to side in an attempt to escape. Thankfully, it was eventually able to get itself free. | Sara Corlis

A dimly lit recycling facility shows a "METAL ONLY" sign and a heap of rubbish, where several ibis birds scavenge among the trash. Light filters in from the background, illuminating the scene. — Joanna Kelly

Astrophotography

The Milky Way and green aurora light up the night sky over rugged mountains and a reflective lake, with spiky-leafed plants in the foreground. Photo credit: © Marley Butler. — Winner of the Astrophotography category. An amphitheatre of pandani watch on as the galactic core, swathed in airglow, rises over an alpine lake, nestled in a rugged Tassie mountain range. Lady Aurora dances under the Magellanic Clouds. This image was captured on a crisp night in one of Tasmania’s more rugged and majestic multi-day walks. | Marley Butler

Colorful aurora borealis with pink, red, and green lights illuminates a cloudy night sky over a rocky seashore with a jagged rock formation in the center. Distant hills are visible under the glowing sky. — Kavan Chay

Landscape

A dramatic shelf cloud hovers over the ocean at sunset, with a bright bolt of lightning striking the water beneath the stormy sky. — Winner of the Landscape category. I love the raw power and beauty of storms. Watching this severe storm making its way to me, I was filled with excitement and anticipation. To capture the only CG (cloud-to-ground) bolt to come from this amazing shelf cloud was absolute bliss. Once again, thank you Mother Nature! | Darren Wassell

Snow-covered mountain peaks under a dramatic sky, with golden sunlight illuminating parts of the range and clouds glowing with warm colors, creating a striking alpine landscape. — Scott Leggo

A forest of tall, moss-covered trees with snow on their branches. Sunlight shines through the twisting limbs, creating a bright, wintry atmosphere. — William Patino

Monochrome

A black-and-white photo of an orca leaping out of rough ocean water, with waves splashing and a bird flying in the cloudy sky above. — Winner of the Monochrome category. Orca WA007 joyfully leaps out of the Bremer Canyon after devouring a Cuvier’s beaked whale, her prey’s intestines subtly hanging from her mouth like a festive decoration. Around 300 of these mammalhunting orcas have been recorded in this remote Southern Ocean hotspot, with unfolding research suggesting they may be their own ecotype. | Rachelle Mackintosh

A silhouette of a small bird perched on a barbed wire fence, with its beak open as if singing. Blurred grass and plants are visible in the background against a bright, light sky. — Michael Snedic

A black-and-white photo of a shrimp perched on the head of a partially buried fish with a visible eye, set against a dark underwater background. — Franco Tulli

Aerial

Aerial view of a lush, green landscape with rivers and lakes, illuminated by sunlight. A full circular rainbow, or “glory,” surrounds the scene under a partly cloudy sky. Photo credit: © William Patino. — William Patino

Macro

A translucent, spotted bobtail squid floats in dark water, displaying iridescent orange and blue tones on its body, with delicate tentacles trailing behind. — Winner of the Macro category. Vertical migrations are some of the most remarkable in the world. Billions of animals hide in deep waters then travel to the surface at night to feed under the cover of darkness. This paper nautilus hitched a ride on a passing jellyfish – a truly unique and magical encounter on one of the world’s greatest vertical currents. | Talia Greis

A close-up of a brightly colored bobtail squid with iridescent gold, purple, and green spots against a black background. The squid's large eye reflects light. © Peter McGee. — Peter McGee

A tiny, camouflaged pygmy seahorse clings to vibrant red coral branches, blending in with the coral’s bumpy texture and round polyps against a dark, underwater background. — Mary Gudgeon

Close-up of a small, orange-brown spider with long, thin legs splayed out wide, standing on a light, textured surface, possibly a dried leaf. The spider's eyes face the camera directly. — Francois Brassard

The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition is produced by the South Australian Museum. An exhibition will run at the South Australian Museum until February 1, 2026.

The exhibition will also go on display at the Australian Museum in Sydney from October 25, 2025, to February 15, 2026. The full gallery of photographs from this year’s competition can be found here.