“Playing with Sharks” protagonist.
Valerie Taylor AM is a global marine pioneer, conservationist, multi-awarded photographer and filmmaker and an inaugural member of the diving hall-of-fame. Through her media profile she has communicated to mass audiences the wonders, behaviours and joys of the natural world, especially the marine environment. She has long implored governments, business and the public of the importance of the conservation of our oceans and their inhabitants. It would take an encyclopedia size entry to describe Valerie’s life and work. Her partnership with husband Ron Taylor produced a prolific body of work and achievement that only ended with Ron’s passing in 2012. Since then Valerie has continued to dive and passionately advocate for the oceans and ocean wildlife. She is also an artist and author.
Some of her awards include:
1992 – Australian Geographic Adventurer of the Year
1997 – jury award for the film Shark Pod at the Antibes Underwater Festival, France
1998 – Golden Palm Award for the book Blue Wilderness 25th World Festival of Underwater Pictures
2000 – International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame
2002 – Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia’s Serventy Conservation Medal
2008 – Australian Geographic Lifetime of Conservation Award
2011 – Australian Cinematographers Society Hall of Fame
2012 – renaming of the newly declared Neptune Islands Group Marine Park surrounding the Neptune Islands in
South Australia to the Neptune Islands Group (Ron and Valerie Taylor) Marine Park
