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The Nature Conservancy launches 2026 Oceania Photo Contest

The Nature Conservancy Australia

Key Facts:

• TNC Australia has opened entries for its 2026 Oceania Photo Contest
• This is the third year for the contest, which aims to connect people with nature and inspire conservation action
• The competition has a prize pool of AU$15,000
• Last year's contest attracted more than 3,500 entries

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Australia has opened entries for its 2026 Oceania Photo Contest, and invites photographers from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to submit images that capture the wonder of nature.

Now in its third year, the Oceania Photo Contest celebrates the power of photography to connect people with nature and inspire conservation action.

“Photography can let people experience parts of the natural world they may never normally be able to access, revealing its beauty, fragility and deep connection to our everyday lives,” said Lara Gallagher, TNC Australia’s Country Director.

“When we see nature through someone else’s lens, we are invited to pause, notice and better understand the places, species and ecosystems that sustain us. This simple moment in time is often the first step towards care, and care is what inspires people to act for conservation.”

The 2026 Oceania Photo Contest will be judged by a panel of celebrated nature photographers - Jarrod Boord, Ben Buckland and Annette Ruzicka.

Amateur and professional photographers alike can enter photos across six categories: People & Nature, Climate, Water, Lands, Plants & Fungi, Wildlife, with a prize pool of AU$15,000 in gift cards to be won, including one $6,000 Grand Prize for the top photo across all the categories. 

Last year’s Oceania Photo Contest attracted more than 3,500 entries from talented photographers across the region. The 2025 Grand Prize Winner was Miesa Grobbelaar from Australia, with an incredible image of a humpback whale being freed by divers from a chain entangling its tail.

The contest is free to enter, with entries accepted via The Nature Conservancy Australia website. Winning images will be featured in TNC’s national campaigns, digital platforms and public exhibitions.

Enter the TNC Oceania Photo Contest 2026

About us:

 

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy helps people and nature thrive by protecting and restoring ecosystems at scale. Guided by science, we focus on getting things done efficiently and with the greatest positive impact for conservation. We’re a trusted organisation working in more than 83 countries and territories on innovative solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy in Australia, visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Contact details:

Ally Catterick, Director of Marketing & Communications 
[email protected] | M: 0407 501 132