Underwater Video Footage from Queensland’s Mary River: Mary River Turtle and Australian Lungfish

We just did a bit of local freshwater diving in the beautiful Mary River—in south-east Queensland, Australia, close to where we live. The waters are home to the Mary River Turtle and the Australian Lungfish. The proposed Traveston Dam would have placed even more pressure on these already threatened species, possibly wiping them out completely.

I got some underwater footage for my stock library, and for the “Save the Mary” folks to use in their short film about the dam saga. The water was bloody cold by my standards, but the critters we found were amazing: giant eels, lungfish, three species of turtle, plenty of small fish and shrimps, and even an endangered Mary River cod. When I got home, I knocked up a quick video:

Thankfully, after lengthy legal battles and public outcry, the dam project appears to be shelved. This amazing river could be saved. We’ll definitely head back up the hill for another dive soon.

—Josh

You may also be interested in:

• Global Story’s powerful short film about the proposed Traveston Dam in the Mary River Valley
• Liz’s underwater photos from the Mary River