The 2025 Nature Conservancy Oceania Photo Contest just dropped its winning shots, and honestly, they’re straight-up jaw-droppers. With more than 3,500 images pouring in from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, this second-year contest didn’t just grow—it skyrocketed, hitting an insane 87% jump in entries. And every single frame feels like a love letter to the wild heart of Oceania.
What makes this contest so special is how it blends art and science into one big, emotional punch. These photos aren’t just pretty—they’re powerful reminders of the plants, wildlife, waters, and ancient landscapes that hold communities together across the region. You can literally feel the connection between people and place, culture and nature, beauty and responsibility. Oceania isn’t just a location—it’s a living story, and these photographers captured its chapters with soul.
The Grand Prize went to Miesa Grobbelaar of Australia for his emotional shot “Tauhi.” And man, the backstory hits hard. Miesa describes the moment like something out of a movie: “A day I never imagined—we answered a call about an entangled humpback whale thrashing in distress. When we got there, a rusted chain was cutting deep into her tail. We dove in, working slowly, silently. When the chain finally snapped, she paused… looked at us… almost like she was saying thank you.”
It’s the kind of moment that reminds you we’re deeply tied to the ocean—way more than most folks realize. That quiet exchange between human and whale is exactly what this contest celebrates: respect, responsibility, and awe for the natural world.
These 18 standout images don’t just showcase Oceania’s wild beauty—they scream why protecting it matters now more than ever.
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#1. Grand Prize Winner: "Tauhi" by Miesa Grobbelaar, Australia
"I never imagined – we answered a call about an entangled humpback whale thrashing in distress. Arriving, we saw a heavy rusted chain cutting deep into her tail. Diving in, we worked carefully and silently to free her. When the chain finally snapped, she paused and looked at us, as if saying thanks. It was a powerful, humbling moment, reminding me how deeply connected we are to the ocean and its creatures, and how much respect and care truly matters."
#2. People & Nature – 2nd Place: "Return to the Wild" by Tony Stoddard, New Zealand
"I had the immense privilege of attending the pōwhiri at Mākara Village Hall. After the formal welcome, Capital Kiwi team members gently lifted two large kiwis from their boxes, offering a rare, intimate glimpse of these taonga before release into a 23,000-hectare sanctuary- reclaiming a home unseen for over 150 years. This photo of a precious manu being cradled speaks volumes, capturing the deep care, reverence, and hope behind every step of this remarkable return to the wild in our Capital City."
#3. People & Nature – 3rd Place: "School Boy" by Tiana Reimann, Papua New Guinea
"While exploring the shallow waters, a school of curious yellowtail surrounded my cousin as he swam around the reef. Together, the fish find safety in numbers, a simple reminder of how together we are stronger. There is a message from all walks of nature."
#4. Plants & Fungi – 1st Place: "Pluteus’ Fireflies" by Nic Wooding, New Zealand
"The endearing species – Pluteus Velutinornatus with it’s velvety, mottled cap, almost animal like with lovely dark lined gills giving them so much dimension. I find myself greeting them with an audible " hello". A couple of days prior I’d found this one before opening, a fuzzy mound.. delighted to find it in immaculate condition on return, just catching the shifting sunlight through the forest. Holding domain over moss heads like tiny firefly."
#5. Plants & Fungi – 2nd Place: "Galactic Ghost" by Benjamin Alldridge, Australia
"During the autumn months, Tasmania sees a brief explosion of a short-lived bioluminescent fungus, the so-called Ghost fungus (Omphalotus nidiformis) in secluded damp forest patches affixed to rotting trees. Owing to their typical low position hidden underneath forest canopies, a view out to the night sky is very rarely afforded, much less on clear nights – making this view out to the crown jewel of the night sky, the galactic centre of the Milky Way, a truly once in a lifetime opportunity."
#6. Plants & Fungi – 3rd Place: "Witch’s Hat" by Chin Kang Chia, New Zealand
"Hocus Pocus! One of the Anderson Sisters’ hat is lost in the woods. With the unappealing color, I almost haven’t taken any shot of this specimen. The one and single shot taken turns out unexpectedly stunning."
#7. Climate – 1st Place: "The Collapse of Green" by Cheng Kang, Australia
"This drone photography captures the forest fading under the weight of extremes. Floods and droughts have silenced the eucalyptus – some fallen, some standing like ghosts. Green life turns to grey, echoing the slow loss of balance in nature."
#8. Climate – 2nd Place: "New Planet" by Chi Chan, Australia
"This is a drone photograph taken from the largest petrochemical /plastic production plant at Melbourne suburb Altona. Is this our new future planet? I would like to invite viewers to contemplate our current environmental crisis."
#9. Climate – 3rd Place: "Bleached" by Brooke Pyke, Australia
"An unprecedented heatwave struck the coast of Western Australia during the summer of 2024-2025. We headed out to document the worst coral bleaching event ever recorded on the Ningaloo Reef. White skeletons of suffering corals swept far beyond what our eyes could see. An estimated 60-80% of our reef was bleaching before our eyes."
#10. Lands – 1st Place: "Winjana Gorge" by Scott Portelli, Australia
"The clear night skies in Winjana National park of Western Australia are incredible. The landscape is dramatic displaying the vibrant red rocks that overpower the landscape. Looking south to the Polaris star, the night sky moves slowly from dusk to dawn. Capturing the essence of the Australian night sky took more than 600 photos to show the movement of light in the night sky."
#11. Lands – 2nd Place: "Aurora Australis" by Dylan Giannakopoulos, Australia
"Captured during a once in a lifetime solar storm in May 2024, Lady Aurora danced over the waters of Flinders blowhole."
#12. Lands – 3rd Place: "Nightfall" by Olivia Wenztell, New Zealand
"This photo was taken in Wilson Creek Canyon about an hour north of Wanaka, New Zealand. This canyon creates beautiful lighting conditions and has water streaming down from all directions, so creates perfect conditions for these delicate photos."
#13. Water – 1st Place: "Rocket" by Scott Portelli, Australia
"After feeding on swarms of krill beneath the Antarctic ocean, rafts of penguins return to the surface rocketing up from the depths leaving trails of bubbles resembling the jetstream of a plane. These bubbles act as a coat around the penguins, allowing them to reach speeds more than 20km an hour underwater, making them the fastest of any diving bird. Their stream-lined bodies and strong , ”flippers” allow them to dive more than 200 meters to feed on swarms of krill in the Antarctic depths."
#14. Water – 2nd Place: "Icepop" by Benjamin Alldridge, Australia
"Would you believe me if I told you that in the natural world, it’s unusual for things to not glow? Everything. You, me, flowers, rocks, your dog, your goldfish – even water. We call the living stuff that does it biofluoresence. This is how much of the natural world sees itself – awash in the most garish and self-indulgent colours, but our weak human eyes never get to experience it. Imagine if we did."
#15. Water – 3rd Place: "Peacock Mantis and Eggs" by Peter McGee, Australia
"A female peacock mantis shrimp stands upright surveying the area, while holding her large clutch of red eggs."
#16. Wildlife – 1st Place: "I’m Watching You" by Donald Chin, Australia
"A curious young Tawny Frogmouth keeps a watchful eye in it’s surroundings."
#17. Wildlife – 2nd Place: "Double Breach" by Danielle Smith, Australia
"Two giant, school bus-sized, blubbery whales, sometimes weighing up to 40,000 kilograms, coordinated a jump at the same time. I took this image off the coast of Lennox Head, Northern NSW, this winter, Saturday, 5th July. We call it the humpback highway; every day, you can see whales jumping. This was a rare opportunity to capture two at the same time."
#18. Wildlife – 3rd Place: "Emergence" by Christine King, Australia
"On a warm summer’s night along a local lake, perched on reeds, adult dragonfly nymphs were emerging from their exoskeletons. I watched this molting dragonfly slowly, and gently, remove itself from its previous skin with care and precision. The process can take hours but in this one single moment, I was able to capture the beauty of its transformation. A spectacular display of nature at its most beautiful in the darkness of night."
