Mandy Gardner’s underwater images are creating a stir on Facebook and it’s easy to see why.

The photos she posts – close-ups of delicate algae, anemones and tiny, vibrantly coloured nudibranchs, their bodies frilled and patterned – are often otherworldly.

The world she sheds light on seems out of reach for those of us who don’t dive or spend time in tropical locales. But the truth is Mandy’s world is a lot closer than it appears and, with a little patience, somewhere we can all explore. You see, these creatures can be found living in the rock pools of the Illawarra.

Many people growing up on the coast have spent some time peering down into rock pools, the saltwater filled crevices and holes along the rock shelf. The animals living within this intertidal zone (the area between high and low tides) are subjected to extreme conditions and there’s often a lot of diversity as a result.

It’s a fascinating pastime that actually has a name: rockpooling. 

Mandy’s interest in rockpooling, and specifically photographing the creatures living within them, started when a friend began taking photos of sea stars.

“I wished I could do that,” she said. “Then I remembered I had an underwater camera and used it snorkelling heaps!” 

As she started to spend more time peering into these tidal pools, she started to notice that the rockpools around Shellharbour contained more than sea stars – a lot more. Soon she began finding and photographing the diverse life found from Windang through to Bass Point. Tiny nudibranchs, some less than a centimetre in length, sea hares that camouflage perfectly with the surrounding algae, right through to hiding octopus and even eels, Mandy has seen it all.

Why is it then that many of us, giving the pools a cursory glance, don't unearth the same underwater treasure? The key is time, patience and taking a good hard look, both before and after you've taken a photograph.

“I can literally be leaning over to take a photo, then spot something right in front of me. I’ve found things in photos I’ve taken that I didn’t even see [when rockpooling]," Mandy said.

Her advice: “Go about two hours before low tide and wear reef shoes. Look in the pools closest to the water. Be careful of slippery rocks and sudden large waves.”

As to her favourite animals, Mandy said, “I have a soft spot for the rose petal bubble shell and the smaller bubble shell. The sea hares are pretty chill as well.”

To see some of Mandy’s finds, follow Shellhabour Whale and Wildlife Sightings, where she posts spectacular images.

To see creatures that live beyond the intertidal zone around Shellharbour, read our story about Steve Gillespie’s discoveries as he dives Bushranger’s Bay.