A seal in a kelp forest and a juvenile whale shark surrounded by divers feature among winners and runners-up in the Underwater Awards Australasia 2026.
The results of the photographic competition were announced on Saturday, with nine category winners chosen from hundreds of photo and video entries.
Underwater photographers from around the world submitted entries captured in the region, along with those from international waters.
Highlights of the contest included incredible close-up views of a Bryde’s whale in Mexico‘s Magdalena Bay, a sea turtle in Florida and a leopard seal in Antarctica.
Another impressive photo shows two bottlenose dolphins working together to herd a tightly packed school of parrotfish, while the effects of wildlife tourism are documented as a juvenile whale shark is surrounded by divers off Koh Tao, Thailand.
Contest organisers said: ‘The competition called for passionate underwater shooters from around the world to submit their most captivating and compelling images and videos from the Australasian region.
‘Shooters were invited to immerse themselves in the challenge of capturing the essence of this extraordinary realm, where every frame tells a story of the delicate balance and breathtaking beauty that characterises our oceans.’
A seal in a kelp forest features among winners and runners-up in the Underwater Awards Australasia 2026. Nine category winners were chosen from hundreds of entries
A turtle surfaces at sunrise in waters around Florida
A leopard seal is seen showing its teeth in Antarctica
This photo titled ‘Teeth of the Reef’ was captured in Kurnell in Sydney
A juvenile whale shark and scuba divers are seen off Koh Tao, Thailand
Two bottlenose dolphins herd a tightly packed school of fish in Western Australia
The common Sydney octopus is pictured in Port Kembla, in NSW, Australia
Bryde’s whale pictured with a mouthful in Magdalena Bay off the west coast of Mexico
Two seahorses are seen canoodling in this photo captured in Rye Pier, Victoria, Australia
A clownfish is seen in defensive mode in Romblon in the Philippines
Rainbow plankton is seen migrating in Anilao, Batangas, Philippines
A lionfish is seen on Ribbon Reef on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland
A humphead wrasse, a coral reef fish that grows up to six feet long, on the Great Barrier Reef
A diver is pictured inspecting a long-running coral restoration initiative in Bali
