Aliah Banchik is a marine biologist, shark advocate, underwater photographer and cast member of the highly anticipated reality series on Netflix called All the Sharks, and she’ll be on the Main Stage at the GO Diving Show ANZ in Sydney in September talking about ‘flat sharks’ – rays.
During the summer of 2024, Aliah circumnavigated the globe with a large film crew on a quest to photograph as many sharks as possible! All The Sharks took her from the Maldives to South Africa and beyond, placing her at the centre of an international spotlight on conservation. She was coined ‘the ray expert’ on the show and is using her education to raise awareness for the flat sharks of the sea.
Recognized as one of the world’s leading ‘Young Women Making an Impact in Conservation’, Aliah holds a Master’s degree in Marine Biology from James Cook University, where she co-founded The FINstitute, a student-led shark conservation initiative. She currently serves as Projects and Communications Coordinator at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
In addition to her conservation work, Aliah is an artist, advocate, and athlete. Through her digital art company Naked4Nature, she transforms her original photography into portraits and infographics designed to educate and inspire. she has been a TEDx speaker and authored My Best Friend Lexi, sharing her personal dyslexia journey. And in her free time, you can find her skating, surfing, or in the gym.
All the rays: A deep dive into the underrated flat sharks
You’ve heard about sharks, but what about their flat cousins gliding just beneath the surface? In this talk, marine biologist and Netflix’s All the Sharks star Aliah Banchik shares behind-the-scenes stories from filming the show and dives into the lesser-known world of rays.
From whip-tailed stingrays to manta rays the size of a school bus, Aliah shines a spotlight on the incredible diversity of these animals and why they’re in even more danger than sharks.
It’s time to give rays the attention they deserve—and discover why these underrated elasmobranchs are some of the ocean’s most extraordinary creatures.
The GO Diving Show ANZ
This annual event, taking place this year on 6-7 September at the Sydney Showground at the Olympic Park, is aimed at showcasing the very best of our underwater world to everyone from raw novices who are either contemplating getting into diving, or have completed their entry-level courses, to advanced divers, right through to technical divers and veteran CCR divers.
There are an array of stages – the Main Stage, the Photo Stage, the Australia/New Zealand Stage, the Inspiration Stage and the Tech Stage – that will play host to dozens of speakers from around the world, as well as a host of interactive features to suit young and old, from VR diving experiences, a demonstration pool, a trydive pool, and much more.
Surrounding the stages and features will be a broad range of exhibitors, from tourist boards and tour operators to resorts, liveaboards, training agencies, retailers, manufacturers, and conservation organisations.
Get your tickets now!
Tickets for the GO Diving Show ANZ are on sale now, and you can take advantage of the 2-for-1 earlybird offer until 9 September – you and your buddy/friend/partner/spouse can visit for just $12, and kids 16 and under get in for free, making it the perfect family day out.
Fantastic door prizes up for grabs
Every ticket holder will also be entered into the grand draw, which boasts an ever-increasing array of fabulous prizes, including a Seiko diving watch, liveaboard trips, and much, much more.
There is plenty of parking on-site and the venue is easy to get to with plenty of transport options, so get the dates in your diary now and prepare for an epic weekend celebrating all forms of diving.
