A psychedelic inside-out coral. Lady Aurora dancing under the Magellanic Clouds. A ghost bat gliding through the pre-dawn light. A shark cruising over a carpet of spider crabs. These captivating scenes are among the winners of the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year produced by the South Australian Museum.
Now in its 22nd edition, Australia’s most prestigious nature photography contest attracted 1,864 images from 449 photographers in 18 countries. Submissions showcase life and landscapes throughout the ANZANG bioregion – Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea – in ten categories. These include: overall, aerial, animals in nature, astrophotography, junior, landscape, macro, monochrome, our impact, portfolio and threatened species.
The 2025 winners were revealed on Thursday, August 28, with the 99 shortlisted images featured in an exhibition at the South Australian Museum from August 30 to February 1, 2026. Take a sneak peek at the winning images below.
Overall Winner
‘Fractal Forest’ by Ross Gudgeon, QLD
Animals in Nature Winner
‘PJ & Crabs’ by Charles Davis, NSW
Aerial Winner
‘Jabiru Leaf’ by Charles Davis, NSW
Astrophotography Winner
‘Oberon Kenobi’ by Marley Butler, WA
Macro Winner
'Liftoff' by Talia Greis, NSW
Threatened Species Winner
‘Red Dawn’ by Etienne Littlefair, NT
Our Impact Winner
‘Skink in a Tight Spot’ by Sara Corlis, NSW
Landscape Winner
‘The Beast’ by Darren Wassell, QLD
Monochrome Winner
‘Orca or killer whale (Orcinus orca)’ by Rachelle Mackintosh, NSW
