A stunning psychedelic macro photograph of a cauliflower soft coral has been named the overall winner of the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition. Western Australian photographer Ross Gudgeon captured the winning image in the waters of Lembeh Strait, off North Sulawesi, Indonesia, earning him a prize of $6,530 (10,000 AUD) and a cruise with Coral Expeditions.
Gudgeon's remarkable inside-out view of the coral showcases the organism's characteristic appearance that resembles a cauliflower, featuring numerous small, rounded, bump-like polyps that create its distinctive puffy texture. The photographer achieved this unique perspective using a Nauticam extended macro wide lens (EMWL), which is essentially an underwater version of a probe or insect eye lens. This specialized equipment allowed him to capture details that would be impossible with traditional underwater photography techniques.
The competition featured winners across ten different categories, with each category winner receiving $980 (1,500 AUD). In the Animals in Nature category, Charles Davis won with a spectacular image of a Port Jackson shark cruising over thousands of spider crabs. His photograph captured the annual phenomenon where tens of thousands of spider crabs gather during the full moon to shed their shells, bunching together in massive numbers for protection against predators like sharks and large rays during their vulnerable molting period.
The Threatened Species category was won by Etienne Littlefair, who photographed rare and elusive ghost bats. After years of studying these nocturnal predators with thermal optics, Littlefair discovered several regularly frequented locations in the escarpment surrounding his home. His winning image was captured on January 1, 2025, which he described as "an incredible way to usher in the New Year." Ghost bats have strict roost requirements and are extremely difficult to photograph due to their rarity and secretive nature.
Sara Corlis took the Our Impact category with a powerful image of a small garden skink trapped in a hole in a brick wall at her home. The photograph captures the lizard thrashing its body from side to side in an attempt to escape, highlighting human impact on wildlife. Fortunately, Corlis reported that the skink eventually managed to free itself from the predicament.
Marley Butler's astrophotography work earned recognition in the Astrophotography category with an image featuring an amphitheater of pandani trees watching as the galactic core, wrapped in airglow, rises over an alpine lake nestled in Tasmania's rugged mountain ranges. The photograph also captures the aurora dancing under the Magellanic Clouds, taken during a crisp night on one of Tasmania's more challenging multi-day hiking trails.
Darren Wassell won the Landscape category with a dramatic storm photograph that captures the raw power and beauty of severe weather. His image shows a spectacular cloud-to-ground lightning bolt emerging from an impressive shelf cloud. Wassell expressed his excitement about capturing "the only CG bolt to come from this amazing shelf cloud," describing the experience as "absolute bliss."
The Monochrome category winner, Rachelle Mackintosh, captured a remarkable moment of Orca WA007 joyfully leaping out of the Bremer Canyon after consuming a Cuvier's beaked whale. The dramatic black and white image shows the whale's intestines subtly hanging from the orca's mouth. This remote Southern Ocean location is home to approximately 300 of these mammal-hunting orcas, with ongoing research suggesting they may represent their own distinct ecotype.
Charles Davis also claimed victory in the Aerial category with an extraordinary image that initially appears to be a dead leaf but is actually the result of massive tides retreating over mudflats. The photograph captures a black-necked stork flying toward drainage patterns in the mudflats, creating an artistic composition that resembles a dead tree and bird. Davis and his team had to bank their helicopter hard to capture the perfect timing of this natural phenomenon.
Talia Greis won the Macro category with a fascinating image of a paper nautilus that hitched a ride on a passing jellyfish during one of the world's most remarkable vertical migrations. Her photograph documents the incredible nightly journey of billions of marine animals that hide in deep waters during the day and travel to the surface under cover of darkness to feed, describing the encounter as "truly unique and magical."
The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition is produced by the South Australian Museum, which will host an exhibition of the winning photographs until February 1, 2026. The exhibition will also be displayed at the Australian Museum in Sydney from October 25, 2025, through February 15, 2026, giving photography enthusiasts and nature lovers across Australia the opportunity to view these remarkable images in person. The complete gallery of photographs from this year's competition is available for viewing online, showcasing the incredible diversity and talent of Australia's nature photographers.
