Underwater Photographer • Author • Educator

​

Troy Mayne is an Australian underwater photographer, photojournalist and children's author whose connection with the ocean spans more than three decades.

​

Born in Bunbury, Western Australia, Troy grew up around the sea. After joining the Australian Army at 19, he completed his open-water diving qualification and discovered a fascination with the underwater world that would shape much of his life.

​

His early diving experiences on the Great Barrier Reef inspired him to become a diving instructor and, eventually, an underwater photographer. Wanting to share what he was seeing beneath the surface, Troy purchased his first underwater camera system. Within six months of beginning underwater photography, his first article was published in an international diving publication.

​

From Soldier to Underwater Photographer

​

Troy served in the Australian Army for more than 12 years, serving in both the Infantry and Military Police and later as an officer. His service included deployment to East Timor in 1999. He later worked in Iraq in 2004–05.

​

Alongside and following his military career, Troy built extensive experience within the diving, marine-tourism and photography industries.

​

His roles have included dive instructor, commercial diver, underwater photojournalist, reef guide, education and dive officer, commercial photographer and dive-industry business owner. He has worked and dived throughout Australia, Asia and numerous other destinations around the world.

​

What began as an attempt to record the extraordinary animals and environments he encountered underwater eventually developed into Oceanic Imagery.

​

Oceanic Imagery

​

Through Oceanic Imagery, Troy has spent decades documenting marine animals, coral reefs, shipwrecks and the relationship between people and the sea.

​

His approach is based on authenticity and respect for the natural environment. The welfare of an animal and the integrity of its environment are more important than obtaining a photograph.

​

His images have appeared across books, magazines, newspapers, websites, scientific publications, advertising, calendars, exhibitions, documentaries and other media.

​

Troy's photography has also received recognition in international competitions. His work has been awarded and selected in underwater, nature and wildlife photography competitions around the world.

​

For Troy, however, photography has never simply been about collecting awards. Its greater purpose is to allow people who may never descend beneath the surface to encounter the extraordinary world that exists there.

​

Wally's Reef Gang

​

Troy's photography eventually led him into children's publishing. Using genuine underwater photographs taken on the Great Barrier Reef, he created stories around Wally, a large Maori wrasse, and his reef companions Casey and Shelley.

​

Rather than illustrating the animals, Troy photographs them. The resulting Wally stories combine real wildlife photography, humour, adventure, education and moral themes.

​

Subjects explored through the books include friendship, bullying, kindness, courage, environmental responsibility and the effects of plastic pollution.

​

Sorry Wally and Kind Wally were the first published stories, with the expanded Wally's Reef Gang series continuing the concept through a much larger collection of adventures.

​

The aim is simple: children who become fascinated by the animals in the stories may also become adults who care about protecting them.

​

Education, Literacy and Conservation

​

Education has become an increasingly important part of Troy's work. Through school visits and children's books, he uses photography and storytelling to introduce young people to marine animals, conservation, literacy and the process of creating and publishing books.

​

Troy has also supported organisations involved in marine conservation and education by making his photography available for environmental and educational purposes.

​

His concern for literacy extends beyond his own books. His earlier work supported literacy initiatives in Timor-Leste, reflecting his belief that education can fundamentally change a child's future.

​

Service

​

Service has remained a consistent part of Troy’s life beyond photography. His background includes military service and volunteer roles in emergency services, youth development and community service.

​

He is also studying Ministry and Chaplaincy, continuing a long-standing interest in serving and supporting people in practical ways.

​

These experiences—soldier, diver, photographer, author, educator and volunteer—have all contributed to the way Troy approaches his work today.

​

Explore. Create. Inspire.

​

Oceanic Imagery now brings those different parts together.

​

Explore the natural world.

Create photographs and stories with integrity.

Inspire people to care about what they discover.

​

Whether through an underwater photograph, a children's story or a conversation with students, Troy's goal remains much the same as when he first took a camera beneath the surface: to share the wonder of the underwater world with people who might otherwise never experience it.

​

​Let the Sea Live.