Photography

Our Living World

The living world, seen up close: field photography from across Australia, and our own reef photographs from Direction Island.

In the field

Photography by Oliver Strewe

He has been photographing since the 1970s, from his home ground at Bondi to the far corners of the world, and is the author and photographer of books including the award winning Wine Atlas of Australia and New Zealand, Lonely Planet's World Food guides, the classic Bondi, and Beaches, Bays and Coves of Sydney. We are beyond lucky to have him capturing our field stories. His collection here runs from the Torres Strait and Cape York down through the Pilliga scrub, and comes home to Parsley Bay in Vaucluse, a place he has known and loved for decades, and where a live local campaign is working toward official Aquatic Reserve protection.

If one of these speaks to you and you would love a print for your own wall, write to us and we will happily arrange it with him. Every photograph in this collection is © Oliver Strewe and remains his own work, so please enjoy them here and ask before reusing them anywhere else.

The Murray River at dusk near Tocumwal, still water holding a pink sky between banks of river red gums — The Murray goes still at dusk and takes the whole sky with it, near Tocumwal, New South Wales. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Sandstone boulders and clear green water at Gordons Bay, Sydney — Sandstone and clear water, Gordons Bay, Sydney. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

An avenue of eucalypts along the Murray River, arching over a quiet country road at Bearii in northern Victoria — An avenue of eucalypts along the Murray River, at Bearii near Mywee in northern Victoria. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Fig trees forming a green tunnel over Chesterfield Parade, Clovelly — The figs of Chesterfield Parade make a tunnel to the sea, Clovelly. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Two riders and their horses on the wet sand at Tolaga Bay, New Zealand — Riders on the sand at Tolaga Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

A rainbow landing on the sea off Bondi Beach — The rainbow that landed on Bondi, from our City2Surf story. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Two children sharing a green coconut through a natural straw — No bottle required: a green coconut shared straight from the shell. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Aerial view of pale coral shallows meeting deep blue water in the Torres Strait — Coral shallows give way to deep water, Torres Strait, Queensland. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

An aerial view of turquoise reef patterns in deep blue sea, Torres Strait — Reef country from above, Torres Strait, Queensland. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

A child's cupped hands holding a handful of native seeds and fruits — Seeds held in two hands, Yorke Island, Torres Strait. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Two swimmers in the pool below a wide bush waterfall on Cape York — A wide bush waterfall on Cape York, and quite possibly the best swim in the country. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

A small waterfall over sandstone in Parsley Bay's rainforest — A special pocket of rainforest at Parsley Bay, Vaucluse. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

A grand River Red Gum in golden light — A River Red Gum stands its ground, NSW. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

A grain freight train crossing Central Western NSW at sunset — A grain freight train rolls through Central Western NSW at dusk. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Two children on a Gulf of Carpentaria beach returning a small shark to the sea — Meanwhile, up in Cape York, a shark is returned to the waters of the Gulf. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Light and ripples on the surface of the Shoalhaven River — Light plays on the Shoalhaven River. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

A treed hillside reflected in the still Shoalhaven River — The Shoalhaven, mirror still. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Two bathers wading into deep blue water at Bondi — Bathers, Bondi. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Tall trees meeting over a quiet country road — A country road disappears into the trees. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Sunbathers relaxing on the deck at Wylies Baths, Coogee — A hot summer's day at Wylies Baths, Coogee. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

Rainforest gully at Parsley Bay — Deep green in the heart of Sydney: Parsley Bay's rainforest gully, at the centre of a live campaign for official Aquatic Reserve protection. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

A gravel road lined with eucalypts near Snowball on the Cooma Road — Snow Gum, Candlebark, Mountain Gum and Black Sally near Snowball, on the road from Cooma to Braidwood. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

The Pilliga scrub regreens after fire, a rain cloud drifting over the regrowth — Rain arrives over the regreening Pilliga scrub. Photo: Oliver Strewe.

In the field

Photography by Christina Senn

Christina Senn photographed these fur seals at Narooma on the New South Wales south coast, where the colony from nearby Barunguba Montague Island loves to haul out, and has gifted these photographs to Earth to Sea News. Hundreds of seals haul out on the island's granite year round, and her camera found them doing what they do best: singing, squabbling and sleeping in the sun.

If one of these speaks to you and you would love a print for your own wall, write to us and we will happily arrange it with her. Every photograph in this collection is © Christina Senn and remains her own work, so please enjoy them here and ask before reusing them anywhere else.

A young fur seal looks toward the camera with a gentle expression, Narooma — A quiet hello from the colony, Narooma · August 2026. Photo: Christina Senn.

Two fur seals with mouths open calling to each other beside blue water — Two voices, one rock: the colony in full conversation. Photo: Christina Senn.

A fur seal calling with its mouth wide open on pink granite above deep blue sea — A song for the morning sun. Photo: Christina Senn.

A fur seal asleep on the rocks beside a curl of rusted iron — Asleep beside a curl of rusted iron, a trace of the harbour's working past. Photo: Christina Senn.

A close view of a fur seal sleeping in golden light, whiskers catching the sun — Fast asleep in the first of the light. Photo: Christina Senn.

From the water

Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling)

Our own photographs from the reef: coral gardens, staghorn thickets and the fish that call them home, exactly as we found them.

A freckled hawkfish peering out from between coral heads at Direction Island — Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling)A fish in waiting, Direction Island · May 2026. Photo: Earth to Sea News.

Coral reef scene at Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands — Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling)Direction Island reef · May 2026. Photo: Earth to Sea News.

Coral garden with a giant clam at Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands — Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling)Direction Island coral garden · May 2026. Photo: Earth to Sea News.