Photography competition: Capture 50 years of underground mining
For a Moment, by Andrew Wilson
To celebrate 50 years of Underground Operators, AusIMM invites the industry to capture the people, places, technology and moments that define life underground.
This year, entries are open across two categories:
- Historical Perspectives is for photographs taken before 2010, showcasing the operations, equipment and people that helped shape the industry.
- Modern Mining features images captured from 2010 onwards, highlighting today’s underground environment, from innovation and technology to teamwork, safety and everyday life on shift.
Three winners will be recognised in the #UgOps2027 Photography Competition. One #UgOps2027 Photography Award winner will be selected by the competition judges in each of the two categories, with both receiving a $1,000 cash prize, complimentary full delegate registration to AusIMM’s Underground Operators Conference 2029 valued at more than $2,000 AUD, and a framed copy of their winning photograph with a certificate of achievement.
Finalists across both categories will also be eligible for the People’s Choice Award, voted on by Underground Operators Conference 2027 delegates, with the winner receiving a $250 cash prize.
The competition builds on the success of the inaugural competition at Underground Operators 2025, which attracted striking images capturing underground mining in action. The 2025 finalists included stunning work from David Tomek, Imade Pasek, Matt Wilkins and Andrew Wilson's breathtaking winner "For a Moment" (featured above).
Could your photograph be among the winners in 2027?