The photo, Glow Worms in an Abandoned Train Tunnel, was voted the People’s Choice winner in the 2024 competition and exhibition, currently on show at the Museum.

Adelaide-born, Sydney-based photographer David Muggleton, 37, captured the image while visiting the small NSW town of Helensburgh. David works primarily in sports media and uses the travel that comes with his work as an opportunity to explore the many wondrous corners of the country.

His picture was shortlisted in the Our Impact category of the competition, which is all about human impact on nature. While a tunnel has cut its way through the landscape, hundreds of glow worms (Arachnocampa richardsae) have made the manmade structure their home, dotting its walls and ceilings

In describing the photo, David said: “In the dusk of a rainy summer’s day, the stunning glow worms of Helensburgh glimmer brightly. Present in the rockfaces all around the abandoned train station, a few specks of blue can be found all around. The tunnel itself provides a perfect home for these magnificent creatures.”

Along with the public recognition, David scoops a cash prize of $500.

Meanwhile, entries for the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition competition are now open until 6 February 2025 (5pm ACDT).

Photographers of all ages and experience, anywhere in the world, are invited to submit their best wildlife and landscape images, taken across the ANZANG (Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea) bioregion.

In 2024, the prestigious photography competition – owned and produced by the South Australian Museum – attracted 1856 entries from 442 photographers across 12 countries.

Entries should address one of the 10 categories in 2025: Animals in Nature, Aerial, Macro, Landscape, Threatened Species, Monochrome, Our Impact, Astrophotography, Junior, and Portfolio.

There’s a prize for the overall winner, with the winning photographer – to be announced in August 2025 – scooping a cash prize of $10,000 and a holiday prize generously provided by Coral Expeditions. As well, there are cash prizes for each of the category winners and runners-up.

The judging panel in 2025 is comprised of three of Australia’s top nature photographers. Among them is Western Australian photographer Scott Portelli, who has twice claimed the competition’s overall prize – including this year with his picture, Bubble-net, of two humpback whales ‘bubble-net feeding’ in Antarctica.

He will be joined by Sydneysider David Stowe, who won the overall prize in 2015, and Queensland photographer Jasmine Vink, winner of the Threatened Species category in 2020.

South Australian Museum Chief Executive Dr David Gaimster said the contest remained an important platform for photographers and anyone concerned with the environment. “Even though the competition will mark 22 years next year, we’re still as excited as ever to see the breathtaking, surprising and sometimes heart-wrenching images that come our way. Competitions like this are crucial in connecting people with our wildlife and environment and in promoting conservation and awareness.”

Come along to the 2024 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition, on at the Museum until 5 January 2025 – and be inspired to enter next year’s contest!

Australian Geographic has been the principal sponsor of the competition since 2013, and the museum is pleased to have its support once again.

Entries for the 2025 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition, at the South Australian Museum, are now open until 6 February 2025. To enter, visit: samuseum.sa.gov.au/c/npoty/

Images of the 2024 finalists: Dropbox.

About the 2025 judges:

Scott Portelli is an international award-winning wildlife, nature and underwater photographer and filmmaker. Based in Esperance, Western Australia, Scott has spent thousands of hours in remote locations across the globe filming and photographing wildlife, the natural environment, and wild places, with a focus on conservation, education, and awareness. He was announced the overall winner in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year in 2021 and 2024 and has also been awarded at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in London in 2016 and 2022. He was recently awarded Wildlife photographer of the Year at the Australian Photographic Prize 2024 awards and Portfolio winner at the Hamdan International Photography Awards in 2023.

Jasmine Vink is an ecologist and wildlife photographer based in Far North Queensland. She has won multiple awards across photographic competitions, with a focus on threatened and cryptic terrestrial species. Over the past decade, she has had a multitude of photographic features in books, magazines and publications across the world. As an ecologist, Jasmine has an in-depth understanding of terrestrial fauna species, their habitats and behaviour. She enjoys the intersect between science, photography and conservation, with a personal focus on highlighting often maligned and misunderstood species. 

David Stowe is a Sydney-based professional photographer of 30 years. A critical and creative thinker, David has had the honour of being part of the judging panel at the state and national awards of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP), as well as the Birdlife Australia Photography Awards. His current passion has seen him focus on educating others in improving their wildlife photography through tours and workshops. David’s accolades include winning the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year overall prize in 2015, along with other national and international awards, and achieving a double Master of Photography with AIPP.

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