Laura Waters
Travel Writer, Author & Speaker
Freelance - Escape, Explore & more

I'm an award-winning author, travel writer, and speaker with a penchant for nature, adventure and experiential travel. I contribute to publications such as Escape, Explore, Traveller, Australian Traveller, International Traveller, Caravan World, Great Walks, Australian Geographic Adventure, Vacations & Travel, NZ Herald and more.

Though I'm an experienced hiker, scuba diver and paddler, I'm equally comfortable in luxury as I am in a tent. It's the process of discovery that drives me.

A 3,000km hike down the length of New Zealand was the turning point that saw me shift careers from the corporate world to adventure and writing, resulting in the memoir 'Bewildered' (Best Travel Book at 2021 ASTW Awards) and leading to a 2,400km solo kayak journey down the length of the Murray River. My book "Ultimate Walks & Hikes Australia" was shortlisted for Best Travel Book in 2024 and many of my stories have also been shortlisted for awards.

I am also a speaker on courage and resilience, and MC for Adventure Reels who present the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Gutsy Girls Film Tour, Radical Reels, Ocean Film Festival and Top Dog.

Memberships include the Australian Society of Travel Writers and the Adventure Travel Trade Association.


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  • Videos

    Murray River kayaking expedition


    uploaded 05 Jan 2025 12:00pm

    The Murray River is Australia's longest river and the world's third longest navigable river. I kayaked it solo from Bringenbrong Bridge, in the foothills of the Australian Alps in NSW, to the Southern Ocean in South Australia, a journey of approximately …

    Bewildered Book Launch - Laura Waters


    uploaded 09 Sep 2019 9:03am

    The launch of travel memoir "Bewildered - leaving everything behind for 3,000km in the wilds of New Zealand" was held last week.
    Author Laura Waters is now on a mission to get more people connected with nature
    Stories
    03 Apr 2025

    Walking is immersive and slow travel at its best, but you don't need to commit to anything too taxing to reap the benefits
    22 Mar 2025

    These mountains are so in-your-face they don't seem real
    17 Mar 2025

    Autumn colours make a guided bike ride through Victoria's High Country extra special
    24 Feb 2025

    When Qantas began its direct Brisbane to Palau service recently it made visiting the remote Pacific nation a whole lot easier. From epic underwater adventures to history and culture, here are the...
    20 Feb 2025

    Australia's longest river runs for roughly 2,500km from the foothills of the Alps in NSW to the Southern Ocean in SA. So what's like beyond the popular tourist hotspots?
    05 Feb 2025

    Japan's Kunisaki Peninsula is a hiker's dream,with a delightful mix of tradition and rugged countryside. However, an artistic attempt to bring “joy” to a sparsely populated village was a bit creepy
    23 Jan 2025

    Many lessons I've learned about hike safety, I learned the hard way
    18 Jan 2025

    A guided hike on Kyushu includes a detour to a remote and sleepy island that's full of surprises
    18 Dec 2024

    There's an air of LA beaches around this Victorian waterfront city