matt testoni
“I really want to draw awareness to what lives in our Great Southern Reef”
Tassie based photographer and marine scientist Matt Testoni is incredibly passionate about taking underwater photos and wants to share all the amazing sights that he gets to see with people who don't know what lies beneath the waves.
“By sharing the beauty of the ocean I hope that it creates a connection for people that increases their desire to protect the marine world. All too often we see negative imagery and whilst it can shock us into action it doesn't work if there is no existing connection. So I want to play that part in the process of protecting the ocean for the future.”
Magic near Melbourne
“The amazing green seagrass and seaweed jungles that inhabit the world beneath the waves in Port Phillip Bay are always a stunning place to visit.”
“Snorkelling through this amazing ecosystem is an experience that totally captivates you and apart from the chilly water you feel as if you are swimming off the beach of a tropical isolated Pacific island. Who would have thought Melbourne could be such an amazing place!”
Unexplored secret
Matt really wants to draw awareness to what lives in our Great Southern Reef and that it is an extremely beautiful place to visit.
“I think one one my favourite things about the Great Southern Reef is how it still feels like an unexplored secret. So often when you show people in real life or with imagery what lies below that are gobsmacked that it could exist outside of the Great Barrier Reef.”
“My favourite place on the Great Southern Reef would have to be the deep walls that exist down past 20 metres all throughout the reef. They are so often covered with such a huge diversity and number of corals and sponges that it makes tropical dive sites look like a sparsely populated sand dune.”
The deep south
For Matt Testoni, 2022 has all been about the beautiful deep ref sponge and whip coral gardens in the Tasmanian Deep South.
“I’ve finally got to spend a handful of dives in a rare deep area and it’s been such a unique sight to see and explore”
“The amount of colour and life down deep always feels like it dwarfs the shallower section and this in itself is super surprising. The hidden gems of the Great Southern Reef”
“Once you descend past 35 metres the sponges and corals that appear are spectacular. It's a mystery why these deep living species are so colourful but it sure makes for some awesome diving.”
Looking ahead, Matt is hoping to seek out new Weedy Seadragon populations.
“Each sea dragon community always feels like they have unique features due to frequent pockets of genetic isolation occurring”
Pause, appreciate, protect.
Matt believes one of the best ways to protect an area is for that area to have a tourism value.
“As long as the tourism is done in an eco friendly way it can create a thriving economy that fends off the likes of big oil and larger commercial fishing operations. The more people that know of its beauty the more we can protect the amazing Great Southern Reef.”
Matt is also the host of the Sea Creatures Podcast where he interviews ocean-loving guests as they share stories and facts about the incredible wildlife beneath the waves.
Learn about more passionate photographers and artists inspired by the Great Southern Reef.
