The 5th Underwater Festival, ‘The Australasia Challenge’, will incorporate a unique Australasia-wide simultaneous photo and video shootout competition with over U$100,000 available in prizes. It will be held from 2 to 11 September 2011.

The shootout competition will happen simultaneously at dive sites all over Australasia - in over 20 countries and spanning both hemispheres. The perceived advantage of this is that every dive site could be a shootout location and every dive center, liveaboard or resort in the area can facilitate the event.

In addition, if you like organized events, dozens of Underwater Festival fringe events are planned all over Australasia during the 10-day shootout period.

The top 100 images will be showcased and the awards ceremony held at the new Australian Dive & Travel Expo ODEX in Brisbane on the first weekend of October 2011. A whole hall will be devoted to the Festival and associated seminars.