We are delighted to announce a new major award in this year’s Underwater Photography Competition 2024 with the Valerie Taylor Underwater Photography Award for Excellence.

The award will honour Valerie Taylor, a long-time Manly resident with a lifelong passion for the ocean, decades-long commitment to ocean conservation and a love of underwater photography. 

With a prize pool of $4,000, participants are invited to submit their underwater images from one of our 5 aquatic reserves on the Northern Beaches. The competition celebrates all skill levels, with entries closing Sunday 15 September. 

The 'Valerie Taylor Underwater Photography for Excellence' will be judged from the category runners up and winners, with the exception of the youth category.

We asked Valerie what ignited her passion to be in the water and how long she has been diving?
Our next-door neighbour in Port Hacking gave me a dive tank and regulator when I was 17. He also gave me the US Navy’s booklet on diving rules. Finding compressed air was a problem. My brother had to drive to Coogee to get the tank (a small steel one) filled. I am totally self-taught. My brother Greg and myself would take turns using the tank until it ran dry. We stayed shallow as there was so much life in the shallows there was no need to go deeper than 20 feet. I am now 87 and have to go much deeper to find a similar diversity of sea life.

Do you have a favourite marine creature and why?
My favourite marine creature is the Australian Sea Lion. It is beautiful, gentle and loving, but also seriously endangered.
For intelligence, the fascinating, friendly and very curious octopus is also wonderful.

You’ve been given many awards including the Order of Australia Medal – which award means the most to you and why?
I received a Dutch knighthood in the Summer Palace in Holland for my work in the field of marine conservation. I stood with David MacTaggart the founder of Greenpeace at a magnificent ceremony in the Palace. We were both knighted and given a title. Mine was the ‘Knight of the Order of the Golden Ark.’ Many years ago, Prince Bernard came to Australia. As his knight I accompanied him to a number of dinners. 

Are you still diving?  What is your favourite location to dive and why? 
I gave up diving last November. I have many favourite dive locations. It depends on what I am looking for. Maybe Raja Ampat in Indonesia is my favourite, with warm clear water, incredibly diverse marine life and hardly any other divers. However, for great white sharks and friendly sea lions, South Australia is the place to go.

You have been a trailblazer for women, if you had one message for the young girls of today - our next generation of marine protectors, what would that message be?
Don't be a wimp about asking for help or money. When you believe something must be done for the greater benefit of the marine world, just do it. All you need is good imagery, a truthful story and go to TV. It worked for me every time. Nowadays with all the underwater cameras available, it's easy. Check your facts and most channels will show you and your story on primetime TV. That’s how I got the grey nurse, potato cod, Australian sea lion to name a few protected by law.