Beneath Tasmania’s familiar coastlines lies an extraordinary underwater world, filled with towering kelp forests, vibrant reefs, remarkable marine creatures and mysterious life hidden in the darkness of the deep sea.

Below the Waterline invites visitors to explore this largely unseen world through the spectacular underwater photography of Tasmanian photographer, diver and marine scientist Matt Testoni.

Drawing on images from Matt’s acclaimed book, Beneath Tasmania: Life in the island’s underwater world, the exhibition takes visitors on a visual journey through Tasmania’s diverse marine environments.

Beginning among sunlit reefs and giant kelp forests, the exhibition gradually descends into deeper waters, revealing colourful sponge gardens, intricate coral formations and an astonishing variety of marine life. Along the way, visitors encounter everything from tiny nudibranchs and delicate skeleton shrimp to seahorses, octopuses, rays and the elusive handfish.

The journey continues across sandy seabeds before descending into darkness, where Matt’s remarkable nighttime photographs reveal strange and beautiful creatures emerging from the black water.

Combining years of diving experience with a deep understanding of marine science, Matt’s photography captures the extraordinary beauty, complexity and fragility of Tasmania’s underwater ecosystems. His images offer an intimate glimpse into environments few of us will ever experience firsthand, while drawing attention to the importance of protecting the marine life that inhabits them.

Colourful, surprising and at times otherworldly, Below the Waterline reveals an entirely different side of our island and invites visitors to discover the extraordinary world beneath the waves.