travel writers australia

We have detected that you are using a browser that is no longer supported , and recommend you upgrade your browser or get a better browser . This site has been developed inline with current standards and best practice, therefore we cannot guarantee you will not experience issues with some functions.

• ASTW committees
• ASTW life members
• ASTW in the media
• Member Discounts Provider Form
• Sustainable event guidelines
• Sustainable travel
• Glasgow Declaration
• Sustainable travel resources
• How the ASTW gives back
• Sustainable convention guidelines
• COVID Social History Stories
• Code of ethics and conduct
• Event calendar
• Sponsor an event
• Sponsor An ASTW Event
• ASTW sponsorship rate card
• ASTW convention 2022
• Refund policy
• Prize guidelines     
• Benefits of Membership
• How to Apply
• ASTW Awards For Excellence 2023 Finalists
• Travel Writer of the Year winners
• Travel Photographer of the Year winners
• 2022 ASTW Awards for Excellence
• Travel Communicator of the Year winners
• 2021 ASTW Awards for Excellence
• 2020 ASTW Awards For Excellence
• 2019 ASTW Awards For Excellence
• 2018 ASTW Awards For Excellence
• 2017 ASTW Awards for Excellence
• 2016 ASTW Awards for Excellence
• 2015 ASTW Awards for Excellence
• 2014 ASTW Awards for Excellence
• 2013 Travel Journalism Awards
• 2012 Travel Journalism Awards
• 2011 Travel Journalism Awards
• Pre-2011 award winners
• Jack Butters Award
• Travel Writing and Photography Awards Calendar
• Convention 2022
• Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner 2023
• Member Directory
• ASTW Constitution
• ASTW Style Guide
• Member Logos
• Member Discounts
• Complaints policy and procedure
• Newsletters
• Forms & Templates
• Substantiation
• member login

Australian Society of Travel Writers

Australia's peak body for travel media

Awards for Excellence

Member Benefits

The Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) is the respected peak body for Australian travel media. Founded in 1975 and incorporated in 2011, it is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting ethical and honest travel writing and representation. Members include travel editors, travel journalists, digital publishers and PR representatives.

In the spirit of reconciliation, the Australian Society of Travel Writers acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.  

QLD Lunch - Moreton Bay Food + Wine Festival

What our members say.

"As writers, we tend to work in isolation, crafting stories and running our businesses alone. Coming to the ASTW Convention is like meeting colleagues and mentors around the watercooler: sharing, learning, listening and growing. I always walk away inspired and challenged."

ASTW sponsors

JOHNSTON 

Travel writer of, the year. twice., astw awards, travel writer.

Thoughtful, useful and honest travel advice. THAT'S A PROMISE!

IDEAS. WORDS. RESULTS.

Born in Nigeria of Irish parents, you might say I was destined to become a travel writer: I've lived in the UK, Switzerland and China, and now call Australia home. I'm the author of three travel books and, as one of Australia's leading freelance travel writers, have a reputation for the quality of my articles and for my professionalism in dealing with editors, PRs and tourism operators.

I have twice won the prestigious Australian Travel Writer of the Year Award, judged on a portfolio of work by the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW). I was short-listed for the prize twice, and have twice won in the Best International Story category .

My most frequent outlet is the Traveller section of  The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age ( on Saturdays) and The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age (on Sundays). Articles are further syndicated in numerous regional Australian and New Zealand newspapers and published online at traveller.com.au, Australia’s most-visited travel website.

In addition, I have a weekly cruise column called " The Shipping News " in Saturday's  Traveller , Australia's premier newspaper travel section, and am widely considered a top go-to cruise writer among Australian editors. I won the CLIA Cruise Industry's Media Award in 2016.

I have also contributed frequently to the shared Escape travel section of The Sunday Telegraph , Sunday Herald Sun , Brisbane Sunday Mail and Adelaide Sunday Mail . Escape is the most widely-circulated print travel title in Australia.

Other titles I have written for include The Australian , The Australian Financial Review , The New Zealand Herald , Australian Gourmet Traveller , DestinAsian , CEO Magazine , National Geographic Traveller and many other newspapers, magazines and websites.

I formerly spent three years as the editor of leading Australian travel publication Vacations & Travel magazine. I was shortlisted in the ASTW Awards as Editor of the Year in 2010.

WHY COMMISSION MY WORK?

YES INDEED, THE WORLD IS FULL OF OTHER TRAVEL WRITERS. Or make that travel writer wannabes, part-timers, hobbyists and hucksters. As most editors know, a full-time, professional, courteous, ego-free travel writer is rare as a Hottentot in Lapland. So please consider:

​EXPERIENCE : I've had my travel writing published for over 20 years in major newspapers and magazines worldwide, as well as online, and won numerous travel-writing awards.

​EDITORIAL UNDERSTANDING : I've been an editor myself, of a leading Australian travel magazine, and understand the publishing process, requirements and pressures from the other side of the desk.

​QUALITY COPY : ​Long practice in copy-editing jobs and a masters degree in English Language count. I don't produce bad spelling and grammar, just stylish sentences. I might even know how to use a semi-colon.

​PUNCTUALITY : A deadline is a deadline. Maybe it's because I grew up in Switzerland, but I'm never late. And I have no dog to eat my homework.

​VERSATILITY : With experience ranging from broadsheet and tabloid newspapers to magazines, newsletters and websites, I can vary my style and content to suit the publication.

​PROFESSIONALISM : I make a full-time living as a travel writer. It's not about a free holiday or a lifestyle. It's about running a business, meeting market needs, and doing it well.

​PHOTOGRAPHY : I can generally provide accompanying high-resolution, quality, properly captioned photography.

"informative, entertaining and insightful

About the nature of travel".

(Robin Gerster, Australian Book Review )

Travel and lifestyle content ready for commission. Australia's top travel and lifestyle writers and photographers.

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Australia's north west and kimberley: broome, barramundi and pearls, saturday, november 6, 2021, back to the river: paddlewheeler on the murray river.

"We often forget that paddlewheelers opened up the Australian outback to commerce long before the first railway lines and roads were laid. The old steamers are an integral part of our colonial history."

Stories and images from this voyage will be available from December 2021.

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Coffee culture: australia's first indigenous-owned coffee brand..

The Hills are Alive: Adelaide's new gourmet bonanza

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Cruising returns to south australia with small ships.

After an agonising hiatus, cruising returns to the historic waters of South Australia. With a heritage of leisure cruising dating back more than a century, small ships are leading the way into this rich maritime region. Roderick Eime goes back to sea with Coral Expeditions.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

White wine and cheese who'd have thought.

Friday, September 21, 2018

New small ships for 2018.

• Captain Cook Cruises: Murray Princess 
• G Adventures 
• Sea Trek Bali

Our Travel Writers

Quentin Long

Managing Director

Katie Carlin

Head of Content

Imogen Eveson

Print Editor

Kassia Byrnes

Native Content Editor

Emily Murphy

Social Media Manager & Writer

Elizabeth Whitehead

Writer & Producer

Taylah Darnell

Editorial Assistant

Carla Grossetti

Sub-Editor & Journalist

Alexis Buxton-Collins

Travel Journalist

Amanda Woods

Celeste Mitchell

Christine Aldred

Craig Tansley

Dilvin Yasa

Fleur Bainger

Jemma Fletcher

Jennifer Ennion

Kate Bettes

Kate Symons

Kristie Lau-Adams

Lara Picone

Lee Atkinson

Louis Costello

Louise Goldsbury

Megan Arkinstall

Melissa Mason

Sally Scott

Steve Madgwick

Carolyn Beasley

Catherine Best

Clare Acheson

Daniel Down

Danielle Norton

Dianne Bortoletto

Emily McAuliffe

Helen Hayes

Jane Lawson

Jessica Humphries

Kara Murphy

Kate Hennessy

Kellie Floyd

Laura Waters

Leah McLennan

Lucy Cousins

Journalist + Photographer

Margaret Barca

Mary Cate McMillon

Monique Ceccato

Nikki Wallman

Sangeeta Kocharekar

Shaney Hudson

Sonya Gellert

Roxanne Andrews

Georgia Hopkins

© Australian Traveller Media 2024. All rights reserved.

• MITRIBE MEDIA
• PHOTO PORTFOLIO

RECENT EDITORIAL WORK

Classic boat (uk), the financial review, luxury travel magazine, cruise & travel (uk) magazine, racq the road ahead, cruise critic, tourism australia, coral expeditions, fiji tourism, cruise ship reviews, coral geographer, caledonian sky, heritage adventurer, recent photography, cruise | bali - png, indonesia | bali mountain bike tour, cruise | indonesia's spice islands, who is fiona harper.

Fiona Harper is a travel writer, author, digital editor, content writer, copywriter, social media content producer and photographer. She specialises in travel, cruise, rail journeys, boat charter, soft adventure, responsible tourism and outdoor experiences.

She’s also a  blogger, sailor, multi-marathoner, wannabe triathlete and gadget geek.

On a personal level Fiona is interested in women’s and environmental issues, health and fitness and travelling responsibly. She’s a big fan of universal kindness to all creatures and the planet we inhabit.

Most at home when not at home, she travels the globe on assignment for travel and marine publications. collecting stories and photographs to share with a global audience.

But if you had to summarise Fiona Harper in just one word, she’s a storyteller. A storyteller who ‘shows’ your story.

Under the banner of MiTribe Media Fiona provides service in writing, photography, website and social media management, specialising in travel, marine, cruise, rail and lifestyle genres.

Additionally, images captured around the globe are available for licencing or can be purchased as wall art or printed on clothing, homewares and other fun things like laptop sleeves,  phone covers, bed linen even! Find out more at Mitribe.shop

How to work with a travel writer

To see what it’s like to work with Fiona Harper, check out her writing portfolio , Travmedia bio or LinkedIn profile

Fiona creates captivating and engaging articles, blogs, brochures, white papers & website content for travel, cruise, adventure, maritime and real estate industries.

She helps destinations, publications, tourism boards, maritime brands and real estate companies build trusting relationships with travellers and consumers.

Fiona’s content helps companies find their voice and stand out from competitors, boost online presence, increase email subscribers and helps companies reach more consumers and drive them towards measurable actions.

Fiona is available to take on your content writing projects, whether you require a content writer, a  ghost writer to pen your brand’s story for an ebook or printed book. Or perhaps you need snappy website content, blog posts or creative non-fiction to showcase your brand, product or destination.

If you need to ‘show your story’ Fiona can help – EMAIL FIONA TODAY

What others say...

Cruise critic, classic boat (uk), aust. financial review, tourism australia, tourism fiji, cruise & travel, cruise international (uk), new holland publishing, grin creative, how you can work with fiona.

Fiona works as a freelance travel and cruise writer specialising in cruise, rail journeys, boat charter, soft adventure and outdoor experiences. She has written feature articles for high-circulation publications such as The Australian Financial Review (Life & Leisure magazine), Cruise & Travel, Cruise International (UK), Cruise Critic, Vacations & Travel, Foxtel, Luxury Escape and Skyscanner amongst others.

Additionally, as a content producer, copywriter and photographer she has created content for Qantas, Tourism Australia, Tourism Fiji, Northern Territory Tourism, Tourism & Events Queensland, Coral Expeditions, Mercedes Benz, Travel Associates, luxury hotels, cruise lines and many others!

She is available for editorial assignments or content writing contracts to suit your business needs.

Fiona Harper is a published author

Boating guide to queensland.

Published by New Holland

In the Boating Guide to QLD you’ll find inspiration, ideas and planning tips for your cruising the entire coast of QLD and its islands.

The book is organised into six themed sections: short breaks, coastal hopping, marinas and harbours, islands, nature getaways and gourmet getaways.

Whether you plan to voyage along Queensland from the Gold Coast to Cape York and beyond, or cruise around the islands, the Boating Guide to QLD will help you plan your next boating getaway.

Boating Guide to NSW 

In the Boating Guide to NSW you’ll find inspiration, ideas and planning tips for your next NSW boating adventure.

Whether you plan to voyage along the entire NSW coast or simply cruise to a nearby bay for lunch at a waterfront restaurant, the Boating Guide to NSW will help you plan your next boating getaway.

Boating Guide to Victoria & Bass Strait Islands due to be published in 2024

Air asia & accor, dammerer-nicholas pr, chimu adventures, visit virginia usa, impressions marketing, captain cook cruises, fiji, g'day holiday parks, queen victoria museum & art gallery, nepal hiking team, tourism tropical north qld.

With almost 20 years experience, as a writer, I write copy for editorial, advertising, marketing and native content platforms. My words appear on websites, in brochures and in advertisements. As a journalist and travel writer, I write editorial articles for travel, marine and lifestyle media outlets and have been published globally.

Photographer

My photographs are published in travel, marine and lifestyle publications. Additionally, I am engaged as a commercial photographer and work with travel and tourism operators, real estate agents, short-stay holiday rentals and marine operators. My images are available for purchase and have been printed on merchandise, wall art and licensed for tourism campaigns

Digital editor

Call me a digital editor, storyteller, communications specialist, content creator, social media or website manager. If your business has a website or social media presence I can help you to tailor your message to reach your readers, customers or clients.

*numbers calculated on averages per year

Why Work With Fiona?

Professional work ethic.

As a member of the Australian Society of Authors, the International Travel Writers Alliance and the Queensland Writers Centre, I adhere to an industry wide code of ethics. This code of ethics guide writersto act in an honest, forthright and professional manner both in their writing, photographic and broadcasting endeavours and in dealings with others in the travel profession, clients, suppliers and those in related fields.

Experience counts

With 19+ years experience as a travel writer, content writer photographer and digital editor, I have an established reputation for nailing the brief and delivering on time, every time.

Fiona Harper travel writer

Mitribe media, travel boating lifestyle.

Author, travel writer, journalist

Sue williams is an award-winning journalist and columnist who’s written for all of australia’s leading newspapers and magazines. she also appears frequently on tv and on radio, and has hosted her own tv segment on sbs tv. born in england, but having become an australian 30 years ago, she has worked in print and tv in the uk and new zealand, too., sue spent many years travelling extensively around the world, alone with her backpack. she wrote about some of her most terrifying – and triumphant – journeys in her getting there: journeys of an accidental adventurer ., in 2012 another travel odyssey was released, this time about australia’s outback,  welcome to the outback . it’s a funny, irreverent and often very fond look at australia’s own backyard, full of incredible landscapes — and amazingly colourful people., sue’s first best-selling biography was peter ryan: the inside story , the tale of australia’s most controversial, police commissioner, the top british police officer brought over to stamp out corruption in the country’s most rotten force, nsw., mean streets, kind hearts: the father chris riley story  was her second best-seller, which went into reprint an astonishing five times in the first three months of publication., sue  also co-authored a motivational women’s health guide, powering up , and contributed to a collection of short fiction stories,  love, obsession, secrets & lies ., her next major book, an in-depth look at the property market, and australia’s first guide to apartments, came out in july 2004. called  apartment living: a complete guide to buying, renting, surviving and thriving in apartments , it was co-written with jimmy thomson., then sue wrote a book about medical ethics,  death of a doctor: how the medical profession turned on one of their own , a chilling true story about how one of australia’s leading alternative practitioners was destroyed by the health complaints process., next came  world beyond tears: the ongoing story of father chris riley , about the priest’s incredible efforts to help children in devastated banda aceh after the boxing day tsunami. he also launched projects in east timor, the philippines and albania for impoverished children who had no one else to turn to – and enlisted his australian kids to help him., just after christmas 2005, a nd then the darkness: the disappearance of peter falconio and the trials of joanne lees  was released, a frightening book about one of australia’s most bizarre true-life crimes, the killing of a british backpacker and the attempted abduction of his girlfriend on a lonely stretch of road in the northern territory’s barrow creek. it was the result of three years of intense research in the uk and all around australia, and reads just like a psychological thriller – except that it happens to be true it was shortlisted for the prestigious golden dagger award, for the international true crime book of the year, and for the ned kelly, the top australian crime-writing award., shortly before australia day 2006, came  the spirit of australia , written with selwa anthony, a celebration of everything australian., late in 2008 women of the outback: inspiring true stories of tragedy and triumph  was published, the stirring stories of 14 incredible women living in australia’s vast outback, who’ve overcome tremendous hurdles to build lives for themselves and their families in some of the world’s most inhospitable terrain., in 2009  love is in the air  was released, the story of a group of incredible dancers who achieve against all the odds. they’re the merry makers, a dance troupe made up of children and young adults with disabilities, both physical and intellectual, who’ve thrilled audiences across australia. they’re made their us debut, dancing at disneyland in los angeles in september 2010., sue’s next book was  outback spirit , a sequel to  women of the outback, which came out in 2010, about a group of people who are pouring all their love, time and energy into helping the outback and those who live there., her next book was  no time for fear: how a shark attack survivor beat the odds , the story of navy diver paul de gelder, who lost an arm and leg after being mauled by a shark as he took part in an anti-terrorism exercise on sydney harbour. that book was released in 2011., researching her 2014 biography  fred brophy: the last showman, sue trained for and participated in a boxing tent fight. then came a completely contrasting biography, father bob: the larrikin priest , the story of australia’s best-known and most-loved priest, a funny, charming and passionate man who’ll stop at nothing to help young people and the poorest in our society., she has since written a book on genetics ( gene genius ), raising teenagers ( growing great kids, with father chris riley ) and the girl who climbed everest , the biography of alyssa azar, the youngest australian to climb the world’s highest mountain., in 2019, she wrote her first children’s book, everest dreaming, for a us publisher., in 2020, healing lives was published, a biography of australian icon dr catherine hamlin and her remarkable acolyte mamitu gashe, the illiterate daughter of a poor peasant farmer, who is now one of the world’s leading fistula surgeons., sue’s first novel will be released in january 2021, elizabeth & elizabeth ,  an historical creative-fiction about the two leading women of early colonial australia, elizabeth macquarie and elizabeth macarthur., sue lives in sydney with her partner  jimmy thomson and their two cats, and shouldn’t be mistaken for the sue williams in melbourne who writes entertaining crime novels, and the other sue williams who writes excellent books for exceedingly small children..

© 2024 Sue Williams.

• Biographies
• Outback stories
• Travel Books
• Childrens Books
• Life & Health
• Travel Features

Email: [email protected]

• Travel writer
• Public speaker

MAX ANDERSON  Writer, editor, author

I produce words for newspapers, magazines and clients.

After 30 years working in Adelaide, Sydney and London (with three years spent as Deputy Travel Editor of  The Sunday Time s) I’ve been pigeonholed as a travel writer. But for my money – and even for your money – it doesn't matter what I'm writing about because a good sentence is a good sentence. The trick is getting a reader to the end of it.

Recently published work...

It remains only for me to persuade the family to share Glen's story with the rest of Australia...  

The Greatest Air Race  (Broadcast 7.30pm Dec 8, 2019 on SBS )   I co-produced and wrote this one-hour documentary which tells the story of how four Australians became the first men to fly across the planet. Documentary-making proved to be like one of those Japanese game shows where people are asked to endure trials and humiliations. But with co-producers Lainie Anderson and Susan Harrington, as well as presenter Andy Thomas, (yes, that Andy Thomas), we kept at it and this world-first feature was cleared for take-off. All I can say is, thank God for SBS.

DVDs and USBs are available here .

Kindle version also available!

London's New Hip East End (SMH/Age Traveller) Blimey! A rather flash piece wiv lots of references to Cocker-nees, Krays and canals. Innit.  

How Safari Transformed My Teens (SMH, Sept 2022)  And trust me, they needed transforming...

Sequoia Lodge, Adelaide Hills (Gourmet Traveller, Oct 2021) Very much a story for our times, this review speaks to a handsome new lodge that dared to launch during Covid.   

Thornybush Lodge, Kruger (SMH/Age Feb 2020) A safari story that introduces Australian readers to the wonderful business of 'Funny Galore'  

Langa Township Tour (SMH/Age, Nov 2019) This tour of a Cape Town township helped put South Africa in a proper perspective. Y'been to a shebeen?

Zeitz MOCAA (SMH/Age January). Financed by the guy who started shoe company Puma, the Museum of Contemporary African Art is one of the world's coolest art galleries. Carved out of a derelict grain silo, no less... 

Coral Expeditions Cruise , Singapore to Darwin (SMH/Age Oct 2019) This 21-day adventure cruise was as intense as it was exotic.  

Krakatoa (SMH/Age 2019). Not east of Java. No longer a volcano. And not even called Krakatoa. 

The Bend (SMH/Age July 2019) Tailem Bend's new motorsport park is world class. It also offers one of themost unusal and affordable 4-star hotel rooms anywhere.

Colour Your World   ( SMH , July 2019) India's Holi Festival. A colour piece. 

Outback station stays, South Australia  (SMH/Age January 2019) Station stays have been around for decades, but never quite get the press they deserve. Hopefully this goes some way to addressing that.

Blinged Out In Bali ( SMH , January 2019) The Mulia Resort is big and expensive. But is it any good?

In the Beginning ( SA Weekend October 2019) The ediacaran fossil beds of Nilpena are seeking World Heritage Status. And quite right, too. 

The Final Farewell   ( SA Weekend magazine, April 2018) In the APY Lands  I had the opportunity to witness the last traditional cave burial. A story that brings together a baby's remains taken from traditional lands, a community in grief and British atomic testing.   

Go Fish   (QANTAS Spirit magazine, Feb 2018) Swimming with giant cuttlefish off Whyalla .

Stay an Extra Day campaign  

Though strictly belonging on the copywriting page, I'm very happy to report 'Stay an Extra Day' took out a Gold and Silver award at the 2017 SA Tourism Awards.

I've been working with Peterborough Tourism on the campaign for more than four years. It scored the gongs for succesfully repositioning an almost forgotten town as a must-do experience for grey nomads. (Between 2014 and end-2017, visitation to Peterborough increased by 30% -- an outcome that has real effects on real people.)   

The campaign was driven by Tourism Marketing Manager Pat Kent, a bloke with  limitless ideas, an awful lot of faith and almost no budget.  At left is me, Peterborough Council CEO Peter McGuinness and Pat. It's fair to say we're flushed with success -- and perhaps a little Shiraz .

Goolwa (Qantas Spirit inflight magazine, Jan 2018) Part of the 'My Town' series. Lovely people, lovely town.

Six of the Best Walks in South Australia   ( SMH/Age Jan 2018) Not that I walked them all at once...

Kommune: The search for a mysterious surf break   ( SMH/Age , May 2017) A luxury surf resort in Bali that hasn't forgotten its roots. 

How I Found My Sea Legs   ( SMH/Age , Feb 2017) B ig-ship cruising. Travel? Not  really. Fun? Surprisingly, yes... 

Understated Yorke Peninsula ( Gourmet Traveller , Jan 2017) Another labour of love. Yorkes is just one of those unsung places that give more than you ever expect. 

Another Silver and Bronze at North American Travel Journalists awards

Altered States   ( Conde Nast Traveller UK, Dec 2015) won Silver at the 2016 NATJA Awards. I also colected a Bronze (Family Travel category) for my story on Jack in Matsumoto  ( Age/SMH , Aug 2016). 

The strange tale of Aurora   ( SMH/Age , Dec 2016) This beautifully manicured town in New York State has a curious back-story that stirs passions. As they say, 'only in America'.

Touring with Robert de Niro ( SMH/Age , October 2016) I had so many angles on the Catskills I didn't know where to start. Then New York State tourism unveiled their special guest...

The Realm of the Great Bear Cat   ( National Geographic Traveller, UK, November 2016) Qing Chen Mountain -- home to pandas, Taoism and one of the most violent monuments I've ever encountered.

Travels with Jack  ( Age/SMH , Aug 2016) I took my then 11-year-old to Matsumoto, Japan to see if I could get him to sit still long enough to learn something. The premise was is 'Are private school fees better spent on travel?'. It was among my most favourite trips in the past five years. 

My essay on traveling in the footsteps of heroes  Writes of Way   (SMH/Age) picked up the Bronze in the main print category at the North American travel Journalists Awards. Once, again, in good company ( Wall Street Journal took out gold). 

Eight places that changed the world   (Escape, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Adelaide Advertiser  et al, Feb 2015). REALLY enjoyed writing this. 

Altered States  Commissions like this doesn't come along very often. It ticked all the boxes: the trip entailed a punishing, madly stimulating 4500km solitary drive across Australia in high summer [tick]; British fashion photographer Alistair Taylor-Young flew ahead of me on his own adventure, ripping pieces of soul from from the poor old outback and taking them back to London [tick]; and editor Steve King put plenty on the line and demanded my lines give plenty back [tick, tick]. Do yourself a favour and view the finished thing on the biggest screen you have. It's beautiful. ( Conde Nast Traveller , UK, December 2015)  

Mandapa   Review of the new Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud for the inestimable globetrotters' bible, American  Travel+Leisure . (December  2015)

What lies beneath On an extraordinary treasure trail in Outback Queensland ( National Geographic Traveller, UK, November 2015)

Scents and sensibilities  It pays to follow your nose when you travel;( SMH/Age , November 2015)  

Weird Australian Place Names   Or as I had it, 'Mount Buggery Or Bust'. ( Escape  section  The Australian, Telegraph, Herald Son  et al, Sept 2015)

How to Avoid Looking Like a Tourist   Enough said. ( Escape section --  Telegraph, Herald Son, Courier Mail  et al, Sept 2015)

The Oodnadatta Track and the world's largest artworks  The mysterious Marree Man terraglyph [left] has been hailed as the largest piece of art on the planet. I believe there's an even larger one right next door... ( SMH/The Age , July 2015)

Adelaide, it's Time to Rise and Shine  The new Mayfair Hotel is just one more reason to love Adelaide. (Traveller, SMH/The Age , April 2015 )

The 13th Rinpoche of Stakna  'I stick to a simple rule of travel: if you’re going to judge foreign cultures, do everyone a favour and stay home. But there are times when, however respectful I try to be, I can’t help thinking “This is just … wrong”.' (Escape -  Telegraph, Courier Mail etc)

A Case of Animal Attraction   Chobe Game Lodge, Botswana: not only a fine game lodge but the setting for the second marriage of Richard Burton and Liz Taylor; when I began researching the story I came to learn the lodge was life-changing for the couple in more ways than one. (SMH/Age Sept 2014)

Man vs Wild  A three-hander on Vail skiing, set off by the work of talented snapper, Andrew Rowat. ( Gourmet Traveller, August 2014)

SA Media Award Very pleased to receive the award for Best Freelance Contribution in the 2014 awards, making it #3 in this particular series of etched glass trophies. The award was for three submissions,incuding the 'Whirlwind' private jet tour and 'Aussiewood' stories below. 

Heart of the Prairie     Winnipeg is one of the world's great cities. I was surprised how much I liked the place -- and my piece, in turn, surprised the good folk of Winnipeg. After some spirited sharing in Canada, the page was Recommended 7,600 times on Facebook. (SMH/Age Traveller, Jan 11, 2014) 

Reef Encounters  Island resorts on the Great Barrier Reef. (Gourmet Traveller, January 2014)

Lava Affair  New Zealand's volcanoes are magnificent. I went as close to an erupting volcano as I ever want to go for this story. And that's after taking a chopper into a gently erupting cone poking from the Pacific Ocean... (National Geographic Traveller UK, Sept 2013)  

Welcome to Aussiewood (Strange but true, an Australian owns the image rights to the Hollywood sign... SMH/Age main section, June 23, 2013)

Family chaos motorhome story earns Silver and Bronze at North American Travel Journalists awards...

King of the Road (SMH/Age Sept 1, 2012) won twice at the 2013 NATJA Awards. Paradoxically, the Bronze is the bigger coup, awarded for Destination Travel in publications with 250,000+ circulation, so it shares the podium with pieces from The Washington Post and the LA Times . The Silver Award was for Special Focus Travel, Family.

one the great assets of this cruise, 

Australia by heart: Six top travel writers on their favourite Australian places

Our explore travel writers have crossed this country from coast to coast, telling many of its stories over many years. here, six of them reveal their favourite places, from desert crossroads to island idylls., tasmania's east coast.

By Amy Cooper

Create a free account to read this article

(min cost $ 0 )

Login or signup to continue reading

Maybe it's my Scottish origins, but to feel truly alive I need to be on a windswept coastline, dwarfed by the elements; lost in a vista that reminds you how grand, wild and profound our planet can be.

In an overcrowded world, Tasmania's east coast gives you that most precious of gifts: space.

Follow the Great Eastern Drive as it undulates from Orford northwards to St Helens, through beach, cliff and mountain vistas, vineyards, farmland and forest, and you're a dot on nature's canvas.

It's wow factor all the way, from the perfect snow-and-sapphire curve of Wineglass Bay viewed from Mount Amos to a torrid Bay of Fires sunrise turning the ocean to lava.

These are the showstoppers, but the real magic is in this journey's smaller surprises: the deserted beach along a barely trodden trail you almost overlooked; the rockpool teeming with anemones tucked away behind a lichen-covered boulder; a pademelon mother and joey emerging close by from the tea-tree scrub at dusk.

Pause between towns. Meander. Allow yourself detours and discoveries. Take a walk with the Palawa people on their ancestral lands in Wukulina (Mt William National Park) on Trulwulway Country. They're custodians of all the secrets in this magnificent place and generous with their knowledge.

Their land is generous too. From the clean seas and inland waters come oysters, rock lobster, mussels, deep-sea fish and freshwater trout. And as you tour the east coast cellar door trail, you'll taste all the delicious ways this region's surrounding beauty pours its soul into rich, bright, exceptional cool climate wines.

Summer, when the beaches out-blue the Maldives, is heavenly. But I also love the drama of winter, when the weather turns wildly mercurial, pummeling you with furious nor' westers one moment and kissing you with watery sunshine the next. Throw a rug around your shoulders, fill your glass with an east coast pinot noir, and let yourself be awed. eastcoasttasmania.com

CLOSE SECOND: The Whitsundays, Queensland. Pick an island, any island, and you'll enter the ultimate tropical paradise brochure brought to life.

KANGAROO ISLAND, SA

By Michael Turtle

As a child, I would visit family on Kangaroo Island every summer and, amongst the days of playing on golden beaches with stingrays occasionally scaring us from the water, we would do a trip along rough dirt roads to the remote western side of the island, where other visitors were rare and there was nothing stopping us walking right up to sunbaking sea lions (except a responsible adult, thankfully).

Since those holidays decades ago, roads have been sealed and it's now easy to reach the island's icons. Places like the enormous vault of rock at Admiral's Arch that forms a natural frame around crashing waves; the hulking wind-sculpted boulders of Remarkable Rocks perching perilously at the top of a cliff; and those (now protected) sea lions on the bright sands of Seal Bay.

But Kangaroo Island has not lost its adventurous side, with plenty of unsealed trails leading you to rugged landscapes that seem impossibly deserted. It's just that, these days, by the afternoon you can also be indulging in a tasting at one of the island's wineries - or a gin distillery, an oyster farm, or any of the other gourmet offerings that have bloomed in recent years.

Since the devastating bushfires of early 2020, the flora has largely regrown and the wildlife has proved remarkably resilient, while the luxurious Southern Ocean Lodge (one of the most notable tourism casualties) is being rebuilt and is due to open next year.

Since the pandemic, new e-bike tours and pack-free walking experiences have also created fresh ways to explore the wilderness away from the tourist groups. And, with unique wildlife experiences, boutique accommodation, and quaint seaside towns, there's always space for child-like wonder on Australia's third-largest island. tourkangarooisland.com.au

CLOSE SECOND: There's an energy around Uluru, a connection to the red heart of Australia, that I think needs to be felt to truly appreciate the beauty of our country.

CLARENCE VALLEY, NSW

By Katrina Lobley

Soon after moving to Grafton for my first grown-up job on a newspaper, I looked up at a sky suddenly grown dim. Thousands of flying foxes were flapping away from Susan Island in the middle of the Clarence River.

It was startling, in a Hitchcock kind of way. I thought, "Should I call my boss? Is this news?" It wasn't. It's just one of the quirks of life in the Clarence Valley on the NSW North Coast.

The river is stunning - it's where I learned to water-ski - but it's also capricious and prone to flooding. With the Pacific Highway's 2020 realignment, you now glimpse the Clarence only as you soar over the new Harwood Bridge between Maclean and Yamba.

But it's worth hopping off the highway to see and feel what the valley's all about. Thanks to the 1700 jacaranda trees lining its streets, Grafton will soon turn purple (this year's peak is expected from October 20 to November 10). Sample "jacaranda" ice-cream (it's berry-flavoured) at I Scream on Prince Street and head to See Park after sunset to see illuminated jacarandas.

In Maclean, known as Australia's most Scottish town, track down your ancestral tartans thanks to 200-plus painted power poles. Or amble past Australia's southernmost sugarcane fields and over low-lying islands to reach Yamba, one of the prettiest seaside towns in all of Australia.

Remarkably, you can take your pick from ocean or river beaches. A chic boutique hotel has also arrived with the 12-room The Surf Yamba. And when you're ready to refuel, a panoramic perch awaits at the clifftop Pacific Hotel.

I tried surfing at nearby Angourie, home to a world-class point break, but never managed to hang 10. These days, I'm content with tenpin bowling inside Yamba Bowling Club (if it's raining) and catching the ferry to Iluka to spot koalas in the salt-tolerant coastal rainforest. myclarencevalley.com

CLOSE SECOND: : With its dinky-di outback sky, endless red dirt, arty vibes, colourful characters and retro gems such as Bells Milk Bar and the Palace Hotel, what's not to love about Broken Hill?

MARGARET RIVER, WA

By Mal Chenu

Margaret River - 'Margarets' to her mates - is actually a river, a town and a region. And it's the region you want to focus on, touring the rambling roads, from beach to beach, winery to winery, gallery to gallery, Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin.

Caves Road winds its gentle way between the historic lighthouses on the capes through dappled light cast by towering jarrah and karri forests. You can also walk the Cape to Cape Trail if you fancy a 135-kilometre saunter along spectacular coastline, and want to build up a serious appetite and thirst.

Margaret River famously produces just 3 per cent of the nation's annual grape crush but 20 per cent of our premium wines. Gorgeous wineries dot the bucolic green landscape, their vines heaving with the bulging bounty of future vintages.

Famous cellar doors, such as Leeuwin Estate, Cape Mentelle, Voyager and Pierro, are ready to welcome you to talk tastings and serve up an unforgettable lunch. (Pro tip: leave everything to the chef and sommelier, especially if you hear the words "marron", "crayfish", "Cherubino" or "Cullen"). Or you could pick your way through the myriad smaller boutique offerings - and craft beer and gin distilleries - and find something really eclectic.

Often overlooked among Margaret River's natural wonders are the million-year-old limestone caves, which you can explore on guided, self-guided or adventure tours (hard hat included).

And, late in the day, as you peer over a glass of something special at another achingly beautiful Indian Ocean sunset, consider the span of time. From the ancient caves and forests along the song lines of the Wadandi (Saltwater) people to next year's vintage, and beyond, you'll realise time in Margaret River is time well spent. margaretriver.com

CLOSE SECOND: Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, in the red limestone Cape Range National Park near Exmouth in WA, is a glamping resort par excellence . Set in the dunes, it's metres away from the reef. Just roll out of bed and start snorkelling.

BIRDSVILLE, QUEENSLAND

By Sue Williams

At the junction of two of Australia's most inhospitable deserts, you'd expect the tiny Queensland town of Birdsville to be equally uninviting. But you'd be wrong.

"Welcome, welcome!" says the barman at the iconic Birdsville Hotel, the honeyed sandstone pub that's been feeding and watering weary travellers for 138 years. "Now where are you from?"

For in Birdsville, sitting 1600 kilometres west of Brisbane and 1200 kilometres north of Adelaide, the reception is as warm as its summer temperatures. It's so incredibly remote, it stands to reason that its 115-strong population are pleased to meet any newcomers.

But the town's attractions are way out of synch with its size. Its September Birdsville Races (founded in 1882) attract around 7000 each year, and 10,000 visit for the three-day music festival the Big Red Bash, held every July on a massive red dune nearby. Think headliners Jimmy Barnes, Missy Higgins and Kasey Chambers.

Outside of those times, Birdsville is even more beaut. There's nothing like watching the sunset with a bottle of bubbly on the dune, taking a swim or a kayak in the local billabong, or checking out the legendary selection of pies at the bakery - try the curried camel or the kangaroo and claret.

There's now even a new 18-hole golf course, with a lot more sand and shrubs and wild animals than most, and 4WD sights like the Burke and Wills Tree, where the two doomed explorers camped on the first south-north crossing of the country.

Try a scenic flight as well over the Simpson and Sturt Stony deserts, spectacular Lake Eyre, and the world's biggest cattle station Anna Creek, with a smoko stop-off at the historic William Creek Hotel.

And then there's that beer at the Birdsville Hotel. The cheers are never as heartfelt. visitbirdsville.com

CLOSE SECOND: Winton is the archetypal cowboy town in Queensland's central west, with historic links to Waltzing Matilda , the founding of Qantas, and one of the world's most fascinating dinosaur discoveries.

THE KIMBERLEY, WA

By Ute Junker

The Kimberley is for explorers. You don't have to be particularly rugged to love this place - although if you like a drive on dirt roads, you are in for a treat - but you do have to be ready for an adventure. The Kimberley may be home to some of Australia's most monumental landscapes, but it is also a place of hidden secrets.

This is a place where you can wander down a narrow track and find yourself standing at the top of a cascading waterfall or at the narrow defile that opens up into a vast craggy gorge.

It is a place where shaded caves conceal some of the world's oldest artworks and where, if you position yourself just right, you can watch a a coral reef seem to rise up from the ocean as the tide ebbs away.

Sights such as the beehive domes of Purnululu-the Bungle Bungles, the tidal surge of the Horizontal Waterfalls and the apparently endless ribbon of sand that is Cable Beach are well-known, but some of the most memorable Kimberley moments are more low-key experiences. Cooling off on a hot day in the always icy waters of Amalia Gorge in El Questro Wilderness Park, for instance; mud-crabbing with the Bardi people amid the mangroves of the Dampier Peninsula; or camping out under a blanket of glittering stars.

No matter how well you plan your Kimberley trip, the sad truth is you are not going to see everything. Three times the size of England, this region is too vast to explore in one hit. Get behind the wheel for a road trip and you will enjoy one set of experiences; choose a cruise and you will see entirely different sights. Whatever you opt for, resist the urge to rush. The best part of any Kimberley holiday is going slow and letting this ancient landscape work its magic. westernaustralia.com

CLOSE SECOND: Tasmania. Lush wilderness, scenic coastlines, picturesque townships and some of the best wildlife viewing in Australia.

Advertisement

As featured in

Carolyn Beasley

Travel & environment writer.

Award-winning freelance writer, based in Perth, Western Australia. Specialist in sustainable travel, nature and family adventures

© 2020 carolynbeasley.com

Winter Series #3: Big guns Bruce Poon Tip & Tony Wheeler

Social entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip (pictured) talks about his decision to take his company into the luxury space after three decades – and what it means to you, the traveller. “The beautiful thing of travel [is] you have the opportunity to transform lives if you step out of your comfort zone,” says Bruce Poon Tip, gadventures.com Anyone who’s ever used a Lonely Planet guidebook will have read the story about how Tony and Maureen Wheeler wrote and published their first guidebook, Across Asia on the Cheap, on their kitchen table in 1973, finally selling the Lonely Planet behemoth in 2011. Tony talks about counting countries, flying with carry-on only, his favourite country and the art of travel. He also shares what he’s reading now, tonywheeler.com.au We also have a gorgeous giveaway from Gypsea Loop, a gold or silver Hair Tie Bangle. Listen to win!

Love the pod? Buy us a coffee…

Support us so we can continue to create awesome travel content.

Meet your Hosts

Co-host BELINDA JACKSON has travelled to every continent and lived on three, eating everything she was told to (and many things she should not have). She’s played piano while crossing the Drake Passage to Antarctica, hiked through ancient olive groves in Palestine, danced at Irish weddings and in Russian nightclubs, taken a dingy to find hidden Australian rock art galleries, and slipped out of bed and into a Maldivian lagoon. Her second home is Cairo, and she has has more than a passing fancy for the Middle East’s scarves and carpets. Belle is a regular contributor to the Traveller section of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age , has the occasional chat to ABC Radio and her stories and photographs appear in Australian and international publications.

Belinda Jackson

How to become a travel writer: we ask one of the best

Ask anyone what their dream job is and (right after Full-time Lottery Winner and Smooth-talking Billionaire Superhero) you’ll get Travel Writer. It’s probably because the profession conjures up images of tortured geniuses flying business class around the world, smoking aesthetically while sitting in cafes and scribbling things in a Moleskine.

We decided to go straight to the source and find out if this was true or not. Enter Louise Southerden .

Meet Louise. Her job is pretty cool.

Louise is one of Australia’s best travel writers, and she’s picked up the industry’s top award four times to prove it. She’s written for all the major publications and can be fairly said to have Made It in this much coveted industry. We sat down and basically asked her how we could Make It too (#shameless).

1. How did you become a travel writer?

I’d love to say I studied journalism and have a PhD in Travel Literature, but the truth is I fell into travel writing through a side-window: photography. After travelling across Africa as a backpacker, I wanted to get some of my photos published – only to learn that the best way to do that was to write words to go with them. Which was not the advice I wanted to hear at the time because I was terrified of writing. (I still am, to be honest, but have found a few techniques to tame the dragon – sometimes.)

2. It seems like a dream job. Is it as fabulous as people think?

It is fabulous – sometimes. I try to never take for granted that I’m, say, hiking in Mongolia or expedition cruising in Kamchatka, for work. But there are three big misconceptions many people have about travel writing.

One is that you’re paid to travel; you’re not. You’re paid to write about travel. The difference is subtle but vital: if we were paid to travel, travel writers would lose our independence and integrity (subsidised trips, by the way, come with the understanding that you’ll write what the readers needs to know, not what the publicist wants them to know). Another misconception is that you’re always on holiday. Sure, professional travel writers do get to do fun things in far-flung places – but we’re also taking notes and pictures and doing interviews and thinking of story angles and trying to fit as much into each day as possible to maximise our time in a destination. There’s nothing like having to produce five stories from a three-day trip to focus the mind.   

The final misunderstanding is that being a good travel writer is about loving travel. You really have to love the writing part too. That’s something that no one really tells you when you’re starting out.

It’s tough work, but someone’s gotta do it.

3. What advice would you give young writers looking to break into the industry?

I think the trick is to find an aspect of travel you’re passionate about and start writing about that. Start a blog, find the kind of travel writing you love reading, write as much as you can, develop your writing skills. Social media skills are important now, too; editors and publishers are increasingly looking for writers who already have a squillion readers/followers. In terms of pitching story ideas to editors: know their publication inside out before pitching ideas and keep pitches to just a few lines. Editors are busy but they need content (and people to write it) as much as we need them.

4. What qualities do you need to be a successful travel writer?

Curiosity is the big one, I think. It makes you pay attention and really see, hear and feel a place so you come back with details, which are all-important to vivid writing. It helps to be able to feel at home in foreign lands, to some extent, to be able to get along with different types of people and to meet travel’s ups and downs with good humour, humility and flexibility. A lot of travel writers are also word-nerds: we love words, care about them and want to write well. Great travel writing is just great writing, after all.  

Louise hiking in California’s Yosemite National Park

5. Big question. What’s the pay like?

Hmm, how to be honest about this and not to bite the hand that feeds me… The most challenging part of being a travel writer is without a doubt making a living out of it, mainly because word rates (set by publishers and their accountants, and usually non-negotiable) are pretty low. Having said that, quality content is always in demand and if you can find new and interesting angles and deliver great copy on time and to the commissioned word length, you’ll always find work.  

It helps to apply some of your creativity to this aspect of the job: to hustle and look for outlets in new places. I’d also recommend joining a professional association such as the Australian Society of Travel Writers or the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance to network with other writers and travel PRs (public relations professionals, who host media trips), stay current and learn new ways to make this crazy life work.

6. What’s an average day on the job?

At home, I have a writing routine, like most writers, and divide my time between writing and the job of being self-employed: pitching story ideas, sorting photos, chasing invoices, planning trips. On the road, no two days are the same. If I’m on a press trip, I can be on the go from breakfast to bedtime doing a sped-up version of what most people on holiday would do there, while taking notes, asking questions and snapping pics – basically information-gathering, because you never know which details will make it into your stories, or spark a story idea when you get home. My favourite trips are the ones where you can settle into a place and forget about everything except what you’re experiencing for a week or two.

7. What do you never leave home without?

It’s old-fashioned, but: a notebook and a pen. You never know when you’re going to hear or see something interesting you might be able to use in a story or blog post (and I don’t trust my memory). I’ll also travel with my Canon DSLR camera, a waterproof compact camera and an iPhone. If I’m flying long-haul, I’ll take my Macbook Air too so I can do some writing in transit.

A travel writer’s work is never done. Walking in New Zealand.

8. Any favourite destinations to write about?

I love writing about wild places that are a bit of an adventure to get to, like Madagascar or Greenland, because everything seems new and you can feel as if you’re exploring. I love Japan, for its people. I love writing about animal encounters for the sense of wonder they bring, whether you’re on safari in South Africa or swimming with minke whales on the Great Barrier Reef. And I really love writing about Australia, because it’s good to know at least a little about your own backyard. 

9. What’s the best thing about being a travel writer?

Oh, there are so many “best” things! I love the freedom of freelancing, and travelling with a purpose (I often love the act of writing about a trip as much as the trip itself). I love the fact that my world view gets a shake up on a regular basis, and I’m constantly learning – about the world, people, life. And it’s completely engaging, on every level. It’s the most demanding and most rewarding work I’ve ever done.

Louise kayaking in the Arctic.

10. What’s the one thing a travel writer should always remember?

Travel with an open mind and heart. The world is an amazing place; I see it as my job to remind people of that. It’s important to never get complacent or think you’ve seen and done it all. The more you travel, in fact, the bigger the world gets. And remember that you’re a visitor wherever you go; respect the people, places and animals you encounter on your travels and you just might help make the world a better place.

You can follow more of Louise’ adventure on her website , or pick up a copy of her latest ebook, Adventure on Earth. 

Feeling inspired?

Intrepid Travel

Intrepid has been leading small group adventures for over 30 years. We’re a certified B Corp, which means we want to be the best travel company not just in the world, but for the world. To create positive change through the joy of travel. You can read our latest adventures right here.

You might also like

Skip paris this summer and explore these 3..., all aboard the rail renaissance: 7 reasons to..., explore these 7 tea rituals from around the..., why travellers are choosing the galapagos off-season, tips and hacks for train travel in europe, why train travel is the one experience you..., everything you need to know about a night..., mind your manners: dining etiquette around the world, 5 places to escape the crowds in italy..., is australia safe everything you need to know, 10 fun facts you might not know about....

14 Best Travel Authors of All Time

Here are some of the best travel authors that you will want to read to gain inspiration about the art of traveling.

There are times when we simply want to escape the mundanity of everyday life and explore an exotic location like Arabia or Mexico. Yet when travel is not possible, a book can take us where we want to go. Exploring the world through the writing of travel authors can give us a sense of wonder, even when we have to stay at home.

If you are hoping to learn more about the world, put down the guidebook and pick up a more engaging work by one of these top travel authors . You will read a great story while also gaining some travel experience. These 14 authors are ones you will want to grab from Amazon to read today.

1. Bill Bryson

2. paul theroux, 3. bruce chatwin, 4. eric newby, 5. ernest hemingway, 6. graham greene, 7. jack kerouac, 8. freya stark, 9. jan morris, 10. john steinbeck, 11. peter mayle, 12. anthony bourdain, 13. elizabeth gilbert, 14. pico iyer, best travel authors ranked.

Bill Bryson  is an American and British author whose book Notes from a Small Island, showcasing travel in Britain, brought him to prominence among travel writers. His travel books include works about travel in America, England, Australia, Africa, and other countries in Europe.

Bryson started his adult life as a student at Drake University, but he dropped out to backpack in Europe after two years. Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe chronicled these adventures. This trip caused him to move to Europe permanently, settling in Britain in 1977.

Early in life, Bryson worked as a journalist and copy editor. In 2014, he took the citizenship test to earn dual citizenship in the UK and America. Bryson’s extensive work earned him several honorary doctorates from schools in America and the UK.

• Bryson, Bill (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 324 Pages - 05/15/2001 (Publication Date) - William Morrow Paperbacks (Publisher)

Paul Theroux was born in Massachusetts in 1941, and he earned his acclaim as a novelist and travel writer. The Great Railway Bazaar is one of his most famous works in the travel genre. 

Throughout his career, Theroux experienced some controversy. For example, Singapore banned his novel, Saint Jack, for over 30 years because of its content.

Throughout his life, Theroux lived in several countries, including Uganda, Singapore, and England, in London specifically. He returned to the United States in the 1990s and continues to write today. Looking for more books to binge on a weekend? Check out the best books for beach reading . Or you can also search for our best book guides using our search bar.

• Theroux, Paul (Author)
• 352 Pages - 06/01/2006 (Publication Date) - Mariner Books (Publisher)

Bruce Chatwin considered himself a storyteller, not a travel writer, but his first book, In Patagonia, solidified him in the genre. He got to travel much of the world working as a reporter for The Sunday Times Magazine, interviewing political figures. This helped him gather more tales for his travel books.

Chatwin was born in England and went to Marlborough College. He worked for a time at Sotheby’s, where he gained knowledge of and appreciation for art. 

Throughout Chatwin’s body of work, the theme of human restlessness is clear. He believed humans had a genetic predisposition to wanderlust, and his works helped fuel that. You might also be interested in these essays about traveling and essays about journeys .

• Bruce Chatwin (Author)
• 240 Pages - 03/01/2003 (Publication Date) - Penguin Classics (Publisher)

Eric Newby was an English travel writer known for A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, The Last Grain Race, and A Small Place in Italy. He was born in London in 1919 and died in 2006 at 86. His famous travel work The Last Grain Race chronicled his experience on a Finnish ship that took part in a voyage from Australia to Europe past Cape Horn. 

Newby was a prolific writer, with 25 books to his name. His travel writing included some of his stories from being captured as a prisoner of war in the Adriatic during World War II, which he wrote about in Love and War in the Apennines. 

Newby continued writing until 2003, three years before his death. Many of his works included his own photography.

• Newby, Eric (Author)
• 288 Pages - 07/12/2024 (Publication Date) - HarperPress (Publisher)

Ernest Hemingway was a  Nobel Prize-winning author  who wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, which spoke of the Civil War in Spain. His travel books include Green Hills of Africa, which talks about his time on safari.

Hemingway grew up in Illinois and joined the military during World War I. He got his first taste of international travel on the Italian front of the war. He also served during WWII, working as a journalist and foreign correspondent. 

He fell in love with Paris and chose to live there as an ex-pat for some time. His time there was the story behind The Sun Also Rises, another of his famous works. In addition to traveling and writing, Hemingway was a keen sportsman.

• Hemingway, Ernest (Author)
• 480 Pages - 07/01/1995 (Publication Date) - Scribner (Publisher)

Graham Greene was a British writer who lived from 1925 to 1991. He often brought conflicting moral and political issues into his writing, and he earned the Shakespeare Prize and the Jerusalem Prize for his works. 

Greene traveled extensively to find subject matter for his books, which led him to get recruited for MI6, the British espionage agency. As a result, many of his works, including The Comedians and his memoir My Silent War, include settings pulled from his travels. 

Greene often wrote about remote places, which earned him a spot as one of the best travel writers, but he was more prominently known as a thriller and political writer. 

• Greene, Graham (Author)
• 320 Pages - 01/25/2005 (Publication Date) - Penguin Classics (Publisher)

Jack Kerouac was an American poet and novelist known for Big Sur and The Dharma Burns. His prose is known for its spontaneity, and he covers a wide range of themes in his writing. Though he grew up in Massachusetts, his home was French-speaking, so he often spoke with a French accent. 

Like many travel writers, Kerouac got his taste for international travel during World War II, where he served as a Marine. He published a total of 14 novels during his lifetime and also several volumes of poetry. 

On the Road is one of his most famous travel works. It chronicles a road trip Kerouac once took with Neal Cassady. A heavy drinker, Kerouac died from an abdominal hemorrhage at the age of 47. 

• Jack Kerouac (Author)
• 293 Pages - 06/01/1999 (Publication Date) - Penguin Classics (Publisher)

Freya Stark was an explorer and travel writer who lived in the early 1900s. She had dual British and Italian citizenship and lived in many parts of Europe, including Italy and France. The book One Thousand and One Nights, which she received for her ninth birthday, inspired a love for Asia and the Orient, which later fueled her passion for exploration. 

Stark took many excursions into the Middle East, including dangerous countries like Lebanon, Baghdad, and Iraq, and these became part of her writings. The Valleys of the Assassins, which she published in 1934, is one of her famous works, and it describes some of her early travels. 

Throughout her life, Stark continued to travel extensively. She helped the British in both World War I and World War II. Her adventure travel writings earned her the Founder’s Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.

• Stark, Freya (Author)
• 320 Pages - 07/24/2001 (Publication Date) - Random House Publishing Group (Publisher)

 Yet another English travel writer, Jan Morris, lived in Great Britain and Wales. She was born James Morris, and while living as a male, she was part of the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition – the first time the mountain was traversed. 

Last Letters from Hav was one of Morris’s most engaging travel novels. She described it as an imagined travelogue and political thriller. She also published several books on travel to Trieste and Venice. 

Morris died in 2020 at the age of 94. She was famous for being one of the first high-profile individuals to make a gender transition. She traveled to Morocco for the necessary surgery when British doctors refused to perform it. 

• Morris, Jan (Author)
• 203 Pages - 02/18/1989 (Publication Date) - Vintage Books / Random House (Publisher)

American author John Steinbeck is most famous for his novels The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940. The Grapes of Wrath sold 14 million copies in just the first 75 years of publication. 

Not all of Steinbeck’s works are travel works, but in 1943 he became a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune. A role that took him overseas. This gave him new settings for his stories beyond California, and some of his works became known as travel books. For example, his A Russian Journal included photographs and first-hand accounts of his visit to the Soviet Union in 1947. 

In 1960 Steinbeck embarked on a road trip with his dog, Charley, which created the scenes for Travels with Charley: In Search of America. This piece of travel literature is a travel memoir that perfectly captures what it means to be American, even the different flavors of America seen across the country. 

• Steinbeck, John (Author)
• 277 Pages - 01/31/1980 (Publication Date) - Penguin Books (Publisher)

Peter Mayle  is the author of the New York Times bestseller A Year in Provence. He has 14 books to his name, including both non-fiction works and travel novels. A Year in Provence was his first book, and it has six million copies in forty languages to date. 

Mayle was born in 1939 in England, and he started his literary career writing educational books, not travel stories. However, he eventually moved to southern France as an expatriate, which served as fodder for his most famous works. In 1989 the British Book Awards called A Year in Provence the Best Travel Book of the Year.

Mayle died in 2018 at the age of 78. He was still living in Provence at the time. In addition to his work as an author, he also worked as an advertising copywriter. 

• Great product!
• Bourdain, Anthony (Author)
• 312 Pages - 01/09/2007 (Publication Date) - Ecco (Publisher)

Anthony Bourdain is a chef who also traveled the world. He writes on both cooking and travel, and A Cook’s Tour is one book that combines both into one interesting tour of the dining and culture of the world. 

Bourdain’s books are known for their whit, and his book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly hit the New York Times bestseller list in 2000. Many of his works tied in with his television series. 

In addition to writing, Bourdain hosted several travel shows for television. His work for these shows fueled some of his great travel and cooking books. Are you searching for books to give to someone? Check out our round-up of the best books to give ! Or you can also search for our best book guides using our search bar.

In Eat, Pray, Love,  Elizabeth Gilbert  takes the reader to Italy, Indonesia and India. The book’s theme is finding self-love and inner devotion, but it fits the travel genre because of its exploration of these locations. 

Gilbert was born in Connecticut in 1969 and grew up on a Christmas tree farm. She started writing short stories while in college, and she traveled throughout America during her young adult years, which provided some ideas for her books.

The popularity of Eat, Pray, Love, and the movie based on the book earned her a spot on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. 

• Gilbert, Elizabeth (Author)
• 400 Pages - 01/30/2007 (Publication Date) - Riverhead Books (Publisher)

Pico Iyer was a close friend of the Buddhist leader Dali Lama, which comes into play in his book The Open Road. In this book, he encourages readers to look into the themes of Buddhism as they relate to life. 

Iyer traveled to Cuba, Ethiopia, and Kathmandu throughout his life, and those places influenced his writing. Though he was born to Indian parents and raised in California, he currently resides in Western Japan. His Falling Off the Map: Some Lonely Places of the World showcases his travel writing style as he explores places not often found in travel guidebooks.

Because of the Buddhist influence in his life, Iyer’s works are very introspective. Often causing the reader to think about human nature just as much as they inspire thought about travel. If you liked this post, you might also be interested in these authors like Bill Bryson .

• Iyer, Pico (Author)
• 288 Pages - 03/10/2009 (Publication Date) - Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group (Publisher)

• Tools and Resources
• Customer Services
• African Literatures
• Asian Literatures
• British and Irish Literatures
• Latin American and Caribbean Literatures
• North American Literatures
• Oceanic Literatures
• Slavic and Eastern European Literatures
• West Asian Literatures, including Middle East
• Western European Literatures
• Ancient Literatures (before 500)
• Middle Ages and Renaissance (500-1600)
• Enlightenment and Early Modern (1600-1800)
• 19th Century (1800-1900)
• 20th and 21st Century (1900-present)
• Children’s Literature
• Cultural Studies
• Film, TV, and Media
• Literary Theory
• Non-Fiction and Life Writing
• Print Culture and Digital Humanities
• Theater and Drama
• Share This Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

Article contents

Australian travel writing, 1900–1960.

• Anna Johnston Anna Johnston University of Queensland
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190201098.013.312
• Published online: 28 June 2017

Travel writing has been an important form through which Australians learned about their own culture and their place in the world. Indigenous cultures of place and travel, geographic distance from the imperial metropole, and a long history of immigration have each made travel a particularly influential cultural practice. Nonfictional prose narratives, based on actual journeys, have enabled travelers in Australia and from Australia abroad to explore what was distinctive and what was shared with other cultures. These are accessible texts that were widely read, and that sought to educate and entertain their audience. The period from the inauguration of the Australian nation in 1901 to 1960, when distance shrank because of technological innovation and new forms of identity gained ascendance, shows the complex ways in which Australians defined their country and its global contribution. Writing about travel to Britain and other European locations helped authors to refine the Anglophone inheritance and a sense that Britain was Home. Northern-hemisphere travels also made some writers intensely feel their national identity. Participation in global conflicts during this period shifted Australian allegiances, both personal and governmental. At the same time, a new tourist industry encouraged Australians to travel at home, in order to learn more about remote areas and the Asia-Pacific region. Travel writing both abroad and at home reveals how particular forms of emotional allegiance and national identity were forged, reinforced, and maintained. This has been a particularly influential genre for a nation based on colonial migration and indigenous displacement, in which travel and mobility have been crucial.

• travel writing
• print culture
• colonial literature
• World War I
• World War II

You do not currently have access to this article

Please login to access the full content.

Access to the full content requires a subscription

Printed from Oxford Research Encyclopedias, Literature. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a single article for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 12 July 2024

• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Legal Notice
• Accessibility
• [66.249.64.20|185.148.24.167]
• 185.148.24.167

Character limit 500 /500

LATEST STORIES Blog

• Uncategorized

June 28, 2024

• Dr Claire Madden Vet At Sea World Marine Park With Reporter Mike Smith

EA WORLD MARINE PARK – FROM BEHIND THE SCENES With the mid-year school holidays quickly approaching, interest will once again focus on Queensland’s Gold Coast and the countless family attractions on Australia’s most popular...

June 27, 2024

• Aussies Open Up Their French Chateau Terre Blanch in Languedoc -Gabrielle Howard With Helen Hayes

Does the idea of buying a chateau in the French countryside appeal to you? Helen Hayes speaks to Gabrielle Howard who, along with her partner, Steven Morris did just that. The upside is that...

• #Worth1000Words The One And Only Horreo By Karin Avila

In our #Worth1000Words segment Karin Avila, our correspondent in Spain visits the Galicia region where she finds Horreos, granaries found throughout north-eastern Spain and Portugal. Adorned with crosses to deter evil spirits, they’re elevated...

• The Regions Showcased To The City – Business Events Victoria’s Adeline Keh With Graeme Kemlo

This week they brought the country to the city in Melbourne, a move designed to showcase Victoria’s regional destinations, the experiences and the capabilities of the business events sector across the State. Graeme Kemlo...

• Reporter Carolyne Jasinski Continues Her two-week 2900Km Outback Queensland Adventure – Part 2

Carolyne Jasinski continues her two-week adventure in a 4WD with a tent on the roof from Cairns in a loop around the outback roads. Among her adventures she tries kayaking and stand up paddleboarding...

Reporter Carolyne Jasinski’s 2900 Km Queensland Outback Road Trip – Part 1

Hear all about Carolyne Jasinski’s 2900 km Outback Queensland road trip over two weeks in a 4WD with a tent on the roof. She reckons anyone could do it, even in a regular two...

Indigenous Author Bruce Pascoe On Black Duck The Book And Social Experiment -Graeme Kemlo

Graeme Kemlo spoke with First Nations man, Bruce Pascoe about his latest book which details a year in his life working with other members of the Yuin nation to re-establish traditional farming techniques that...

Reporter Karin Avila Takes The Portuguese Way On Camino Pilgrimage

If doing the Camino is on your list, listen to Karin Avila’s report on her experience of doing the Portuguese Way, what she expected and what she achieved. Photo: Karin AvilaRead More  Read More 

What’s On In Oz – Events And Experiences To Enjoy

A new segment for TWR, we present some events and experiences that are on now or coming up shortly in cities and regions around Australia. Image: House Down Under, Melbourne To submit a suggested...

June 26, 2024

What’s Up On Travel Writers Radio June 26 -Helen Hayes & Graeme Kemlo

– In a nutshell tonight we take you to: • the Portuguese Way of the Camino in Northern Spai with correspondent Karin Avila; • a magnificent restoration of a chateau in France by a...

June 19, 2024

TRENDING Gen Z Are Fast-Growing Cruise Customers

Who knew that Generation Z, those currently aged between 12 and 27 years were a growing customer segment for the cruise industry. Once derided as something for retirees, cruise ships have increasingly begun to...

• fab fa-twitter
• fab fa-instagram
• fab fa-soundcloud
• fab fa-spotify

Recent Posts

• Popular Posts

Recent Comments

• From the Editor

Welcome back

February 11, 2012

Nouvelle salt and pepper

February 13, 2012

Renato’s Risotto Riservato

February 23, 2012

• Travel Safely

Playing Safe

February 26, 2012

Travel TechTip#1 – iPad

March 3, 2012

• #calypso #soca #shamGAli #chutneymusic #Japan #sakura #cherryblossom #Asia Adelaine Ng al dente book club business events chef Dan tat Data roaming degustation egg tarts Eleanor Ford fine dining Flying High food Global Roaming global sim cards Hong Kong Food City Honolulu Hotel Cipriani hotels Hotham IFWTWA IFWTWA Australasia India Melbourne Mobile Phones Orient-Express professional writers publishing Queen Victoria Market recipe risotto ski snow sustainable travel Tony Tan travel Travelers Tips Travellers Tips Travel Whisperers Travel Writers Radio travelwritersradio Venice wine
• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023
• November 2018
• September 2018
• February 2018
• February 2012
• Accommodation
• Business Travel
• Destinations
• North America
• Sustainability & Social Responsibility
• Winter sports
• Entries feed
• Comments feed
• WordPress.org

Follow us on Instagram

Your browser is ancient! Please upgrade to a different browser to experience this site.

• Skip to content
• AustLit home
• Advanced search
• About / Contact
• Member Home
• Editing Mode
• Public Mode
• Subscriber Management
• Add New Work
• Add New Agent
• Add New TAL Unit
• Delete This Record
• Undelete This Record
• Merge Record
• See Recent Changes
• Download as PDF
• LOG IN WITH YOUR LIBRARY CARD
• Log in as a different user: User login form User name Password

• EDIT/CONTRIBUTE ADD HEADER INFO
• —. Project Description
• —. Selecting the Texts
• —. Travel Writing as a Non-fiction Genre
• —. Scope and Scale
• —. Authorship
• —. Verifying and Indexing the Data
• —. New Digital Tools
• Related Publications
• —. Travel Writing by Date
• —. Travel Writing by Place
• The Project Team
• About the Project

—. Project Description y

The Nineteenth-Century Travel Writing dataset includes almost 500 books written about one of key periods in Australia’s modern history. The project was led by Associate Professor Anna Johnston and supported by an Australian Research Council Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship (DP0770685). The University of Tasmania and The University of Queensland provided institutional support for Anna and her team of research assistants.

The nineteenth-century British Empire provided the physical infrastructure and ideological rationale for travel and travel writing to flourish in the southern hemisphere. Travel stimulated many visitors to document Australia’s environment and distinctive flora and fauna. Indigenous peoples and cultures, convicts and penal settlements, and settler colonial society were described by colonial officials, professional travellers, and private tourists in non-fiction writing that addressed armchair readers in Britain and beyond. The dataset reveals an important and influential part of Australia’s literary history, and the refinement of ideas about Australia in the northern hemisphere imagination.

Many kinds of travel writing contributed to the dense reciprocal relationship between colonial and imperial cultures. Official state-sponsored explorers were only one source: others included independent adventurers; scientific observers; colonial officials and their families; naval personnel; writers and journalists seeking good ‘copy’; and religious travellers. The colonial world was littered with curious Britons eager for information to use in narratives which they would circulate back home, either in publication or in private circles. Publishers were keen for material from the new settler colony established in 1788, and an energetic and opportunistic print culture exploited these interests. Travel writing, and more broadly writing derived from travel and exploration, was central to the colonisation of Australia (Johnston, 'Australian Travel Writing,' 271).

—. Selecting the Texts y

Travel writing is a notoriously difficult genre to define because it has links with historical records such as journals as well as fictional accounts of imaginary travels, which typified European writing about Australia until the eighteenth century. (See Paul Longley Arthur Virtual Voyages: Travel Writing and the Antipodes 1605-1837 ). Joan-Pau Rubies defines the genre expansively in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century European writing to include a varied body of texts that 'takes travel as an essential condition for its production' (Joan-Pau Rubiés, 'Travel Writing as a Genre: Facts, Fictions, and the Invention of a Scientific Discourse in Early Modern Europe.' Journeys 1, no. 1-2 (2000): 5-35).

Prior to 1900, 'voyages and travels' was the preferred term, embracing a vast body of texts that could include ships ’ logs, travellers’ journals and letters, merchants’ accounts, exploration journals, shipwreck and captivity narratives amongst many others. Carl Thompson describes how travel writing 'has a two-fold aspect. It is most obviously, of course, a report on the wider world, an account of an unfamiliar people or place. Yet it is also revelatory to a greater or lesser degree of the traveller who produced that report, and of his or her values, preoccupations and assumptions. And, by extension, it also reveals something of the culture from which that writer emerged, and/or the culture for which their text is intended' (Carl Thompson, Travel Writing: The New Critical Idiom , Routledge, 2011. 10).

In the modern British Empire, travel writing formed part of a complex and ever-changing print culture, especially in the nineteenth century as cheaper publishing flourished and literacy increased exponentially. When British (and other) travellers described the new Australian colonies, they revealed the anxieties and the hopes held for Australia, which was both exotic and in many ways deeply familiar in its large British emigrant population.

For this dataset, the following criteria were used:

• book-length non-fictional narratives based on experience and direct reportage;
• the Australian colonies form a significant part of the journey and narrative, although they may be part of a global tour;
• some major emigration guides are included: however, the many derivative emigration pamphlets are not included;
• amateur and professional writers are included, and their biographical details have been confirmed in most instances.

—. Travel Writing as a Non-fiction Genre y

The dataset records book-length narratives based on travellers’ experience rather than imagination or secondary sources. These include letters home, diaries, and journals that were later edited and shaped into an extended narrative and published as a discrete book. It records only Anglophone texts, although some influential works in translation are included, such as François Péron’s A Voyage of Discovery to the Southern Hemisphere (1809).

Early travel accounts by colonial officials such as Watkin Tench’s A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay (1789) preceded others such as Barron Field’s Geographical Memoirs on New South Wales (1825), which combined travel narratives with geological, meteorological, and botanical observations of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land by numerous contributors. Natural history enthusiasts such as George Bennett found Australia and Asia fascinating sources of knowledge that was new to European science, as evident in Bennett’s Wanderings in New South Wales, Batavia, Pedir Coast, Singapore, and China (1834). As travel routes opened for more free settlers, and the Australian ports became central in Britain’s maritime empire, the number of travellers increased as did the number of published travel narratives.

As the geographical visualisation of the Nineteenth-Century Travel Writing dataset reveals, the earliest colonies of New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land attracted the most attention from travellers and thus the most travel writing. Tasmania remained fascinating to visitors, and some global travellers such as Jessie A. Ackermann apologetically glossed over the rest of Australia but found Tasmania essential to mention in her narrative. For this reason, Tasmanian travel writing is a fascinating regional subset as Anna Johnston explains,

Although the label ‘little England’ can be found in travel accounts of other southern colonies, it was Van Diemen’s Land/Tasmania that most regularly attracted the epithet. Due to a cool climate, Georgian architecture, and the colonial gentry whose stone mansions and large rural estates–bounded with English-styled hedgerows–stretched along the central north-south transport route, Tasmanian environments were peculiarly conducive to claims of Englishness (Johnston, 'Little England', 19).

Jane Roberts reported on Hobart churches full of a general body of “well dressed people, of about the same style and appearance as a country town in England” in her book Two Years at Sea (1834), which also provided a rare, early account of the Swan River colony. Visiting military officers such as Captain Henry Butler Stoney described how he became deeply homesick when he heard the Regimental Band in Hobart in his A Year in Tasmania (1854): 'making the exiled soldier fancy, with but little stretch of the imagination, that he is still in his own dear native land, ’neath British skies and Britain’s brightest eyes around him'. In The Antipodes and Round the World (1870) Alice Frere declared: 'Were I obliged to live in the colonies, I should wish my lot to be cast in Tasmania. There is something homelike in the gentlemen’s places here; very different from the other colonies'.

Emigration re-shaped the Anglophone world during this period, and many travellers sought to provide advice to assist others in their migration journeys. Some substantial and influential emigration guides are included, however the plethora of emigration pamphlets are not included: they were often highly derivative and based on textual accounts re-packaged by entrepreneurial publishers who had not undertaken any travel to the colonies. Authors such as Sidney Smith, political agent and public speaker, wrote books of advice and information for potential emigrants to the various British colonies such as Whether To Go and Whither? (1849) . Others advocated for particular colonies, such as T. Horton James’ Six Months in South Australia , which was dedicated to the Colonization Commissioners of South Australia: James describes his book as a 'little but imperfect account of a colony that cannot fail of becoming one day or other a fine English colony'.

Readers are advised that the representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in these travel accounts are dated and at times offensive, containing words, terms or descriptions which may be culturally sensitive and are considered inappropriate today, but which reflect the period in which they were written . Many books repeat derogatory racial prejudice, often second-hand from colonial informants. Yet some writers noted the extent of colonial violence and Indigenous dispossession, alongside observations of everyday First Nations life in cities, towns, and remote locations. For example, Colonel Godfrey Charles Mundy wrote about and included an illustration of the 1838 Myall Creek Massacre in Our Antipodes: Or, Residence and Rambles in the Australasian Colonies with a Glimpse of the Gold Fields (1852). See Jane Lydon’s analysis in 'Anti-Slavery in Australia: Picturing the 1838 Myall Creek Massacre. History Compass (2016): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/hic3.12330.

You might be interested in...

• Scope and Authorship
• Managing the Data
• Visualising the Data

Email Alert

Information.