On September 5–6, 2026, divers from across Australia and New Zealand gathered at Sydney Showground for GO Diving Show ANZ, the region's leading consumer dive show, built around a simple idea: Explore. Connect. Dive. DIVEVOLK exhibited side by side with our local partner DIVE LANTERN, and over two busy days we talked with dozens of dive instructors, dive center owners, underwater photographers, and respected voices from the Australian dive community.
It was more than a product showcase. It turned into a weekend-long conversation about where underwater photography in the Southern Hemisphere is heading, and what role the smartphone will play in it.
Australia's Dive Market: Compact, Mature, and Full of Potential
Australia does not have the sheer diver volume of Southeast Asia, but it makes up for it in depth. Here is the snapshot we took home from Sydney:
| What We Looked At | What Stands Out |
|---|---|
| Population | About 26 million people, concentrated in coastal cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth |
| Dive culture | Mature, with a well-established PADI training network and a high density of dive centers |
| Marine resources | World-class sites including the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef, and Tasmania |
| Macro potential | Southern temperate waters and sheltered harbors packed with small subjects |
That last point matters for photographers. The cool, kelp-rich waters of the Great Southern Reef and the harbors around Australia's big coastal cities are some of the most rewarding macro territory anywhere. Add strong spending power, loyal customers, and a real openness to new technology, and Australia becomes a market where divers invest in quality gear and stick with what works.
What We Learned on the Show Floor
Our most useful finding was also the most surprising: many local divers were still unfamiliar with smartphone underwater photography. For a lot of visitors, "serious" underwater photography meant one thing only: a bulky camera sealed inside a dedicated housing.
That changed quickly once people saw a live demo. When our team tapped to focus directly on an iPhone screen through the housing and adjusted settings inside Filmic Pro, the reaction was the same again and again: surprise first, then a lot of questions. Because DIVEVOLK underwater phone housings use a full-touchscreen design, the phone's own screen stays the control surface, so the camera apps divers already know keep working the way they expect.
Owners of the Olympus/OM System TG-7 stood out as the most engaged group. They already shoot underwater and understand the value of a compact system. What they were looking for was something lighter and smarter, with a bigger screen for framing and the editing and sharing tools of a modern phone.
A Big Weekend for DIVEVOLK Creators
The show was also a moment to celebrate the photographers who create with DIVEVOLK every day.
Sean Elliott Takes Bronze in the Smartphone/Action Cam Category
Australian photographer Sean Elliott, who works with DIVEVOLK, earned a Bronze award in the Smartphone/Action Cam category of the photo competition held alongside the show. His winning image, "Little Man With the Plan," was captured with a smartphone inside a DIVEVOLK housing. It is a well-deserved result for Sean, and a clear answer to anyone who still doubts that a phone can produce competition-level underwater work. If you want the backstory, read how Sean went from a 25kg camera rig to a DIVEVOLK housing.
Zhengjie Wu Receives The Jennifer Hayes Award of Excellence
There was more good news from the magazine stand. Chinese photographer Zhengjie Wu, who works with DIVEVOLK, is featured in the latest issue of Ocean Geographic and received The Jennifer Hayes Award of Excellence, presented in the magazine's Smart Phone Pictures category.
Ocean Geographic is a leading international underwater photography magazine founded by celebrated underwater photographer Michael Aw. The award is named after renowned underwater photographer Jennifer Hayes and recognizes excellence in underwater imagery.
Early Talks About Next Year's Smartphone Competition
During the show, Michael Aw of Ocean Geographic sat down with our team to discuss a possible collaboration on next year's smartphone underwater photography competition. These conversations are still at an early stage, but the direction is encouraging: more photographers are creating underwater with a phone and a DIVEVOLK housing, and the wider photography world is taking that work seriously. It follows the same momentum we saw when the DIVEVOLK-sponsored UPY 2026 smartphone category crowned its first champion. From Australia to Asia, and from magazine pages to competition walls, DIVEVOLK creators are redrawing the boundaries of underwater photography.
Beyond Diving: SeaTouch 6 Pro for Surfing, Snorkeling, and SUP
Australia is not only a dive destination. It is also home to one of the world's great surf cultures, and the show made that opportunity impossible to miss. It is exactly the audience for the SeaTouch 6 Pro Water Sports Kit, part of the SeaTouch 6 Pro lineup we introduced this year and built with surfing, snorkeling, and stand-up paddleboarding in mind.
- Split-level shooting: Capture the world above and below the waterline in a single frame, in both photos and video. Our dome port split-shot guide covers the technique.
- Touchscreen control: Adjust settings and switch shooting modes directly on the phone's screen, even while bobbing in moving surface water.
- Travel-light setup: The phone you already carry is the camera, so there is no second camera system to charge, pack, and manage around your session.
- Real-time preview: Frame every shot on the phone's large display for more precise composition.
Here is how that plays out on the water:
- Surfing: Catch the split-level moment of a takeoff and the interplay between rider and wave. Surf photographer Rob Layton shares what five years of shooting in the lineup taught him in his DIVEVOLK review.
- Snorkeling: Float at the surface and photograph reefs and schooling fish below, keeping a respectful distance so the scene stays undisturbed.
- SUP: Record the coastline from the board, then dip the housing below the surface to capture the marine life beneath you.
Rock pools and shallow reefs are just as rewarding. DIVEVOLK ambassador Martin Stevens used a DIVEVOLK dome lens for his award-winning UPY split shot of a tide pool, with the shoreline above and anemones and seaweed below.
DIVEVOLK products are no longer just for scuba. The same touchscreen housing that goes on a reef dive can follow you into the surf, onto a paddleboard, or across a snorkeling lagoon.
Thank You, Sydney
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth, asked questions, and tried the housings for themselves, and a special thank you to the DIVE LANTERN team for their outstanding support throughout the weekend. We are already looking forward to the next conversation with Australia's dive and surf communities.
Ready to take your phone into the water? Take a closer look at the SeaTouch 6 Pro underwater smartphone housing, or reach out to our team for distributor, event, and partnership inquiries.
