30 Oct 2023
The Australian Society Travel Writers has announced the finalists of the 2023 ASTW Awards for Excellence.
Our annual awards recognise excellence across travel writing, photography, blogging, broadcasting and photography. Each of the 20 categories was judged anonymously by three judges drawn from a wide panel of journalists, travel writers, publishers, photographers, video production and other industry professionals from Australia, USA, UK, NZ and Canada.
The winners will be announced at the ASTW Awards for Excellence gala dinner to be held at Rydges Sydney Central Hotel on Saturday 25 November 2023.
Commenting on the ASTW Awards for Excellence 2022 finalists, ASTW Awards Committee head, Jocelyn Pride said: “We received a record number of entries this year, indicating our members are back out travelling both within Australia and internationally. Many judges across the various categories commented on the strength of entries, and how difficult it was to narrow down their top scorers. Congratulations to the finalists and good luck.”
The finalists in the 2023 ASTW Awards for Excellence are:
1) ASTW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR
Carolyn Beasley – Wilderness collection
- The gift of the Gibb (Escape)
- The realm where rock lobsters rule (Australian Financial Review)
- In the footsteps of kings (Escape)
Belinda Jackson – Off the beaten path
- Visiting Saudi Arabia as a solo woman (Traveller)
- Worlds apart, together (Traveller)
- Lore of the jungle (Gourmet Traveller)
Craig Tansley – Travel post- COVID: The new reality on the road
- A refuge for Hollywood's elite: Costa Rica's Nosara (T Australia – New York Times, Australia)
- Northern Rivers river trail reveals its countryside secrets (Explore)
- Cuba travel guide: Tourism is making a comeback in this amazing country (Traveller)
2) BEST 2022 CONVENTION HOST STORY
Jessica Lockhart - A cycle trip along Tweed's new rail trail in New South Wales, Australia (New Zealand Herald)
Laura Waters - Holiday gem comes of age (Explore)
Tara Wells - There's a wave of middle-aged women learning to surf and I'm on it (Adventure.com)
3) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS
Catherine Best - We snared the best real estate in 1770 (Escape)
Lynn Gail - Unknown utopia (Australian Traveller)
Jennifer Johnston - Why the Cradle tasting trail is one of the best places to eat in Tasmania (NZ Herald)
4) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY OVER 1000 WORDS
John Borthwick - Of time and tide (The Weekend Australian Travel)
Jennifer Johnston - The soaring heights of love (MiNDFOOD Magazine)
Huw Kingston - Mountain high (The Weekend Australian Magazine)
5) BEST SUSTAINABLE TOURISM STORY
Kate Hennessy - Melting point (T Australia: The New York Times Style Magazine)
Rachel Lees - Why now is the best time in decades to visit Lord Howe Island (Priority)
Jessica Lockhart - Off-grid hiking on Flinders Island: Tasmania's most underrated walking destination (New Zealand Herald)
6) BEST FAMILY TRAVEL STORY
Anabel Dean - Scotland stripped bare (New Zealand Herald)
Aleney de Winter – Where the wild things are (Holidays with Kids)
Jessica Lockhart –Travels with Doris (A Gelato a Day: True Stories of Family Travel)
7) BEST FOOD / BEVERAGE TRAVEL STORY
Bonita Grima - Sweet temptation: The story of Istanbul's beloved brothel dessert (BBC Travel)
Emily McAuliffe -Japan's answer to hawker stalls is a deliciously unique experience (Traveller)
Alex Mitcheson - World's oldest restaurant: The surprising thing about Sobrino de Botin in Madrid (Traveller)
8) BEST INSTAGRAM TRAVEL PHOTO
Jeremy Drake - Mansfield glamping
Lynn Gail - A wedding dance
Rachelle Mackintosh - Flame thrower
9) BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS
Emily McAuliffe - Japan's answer to hawker stalls is a deliciously unique experience (Traveller)
Justin Meneguzzi – Forget expensive wellness programs: Relax with this Japanese pastime instead (Traveller)
Sarah Reid - Wild cat country (Signature Luxury Travel & Style)
10) BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY OVER 1000 WORDS
Catherine Best - So far, so good (Escape)
Kate Hennessy - Melting point (T Australia: The New York Times Style Magazine)
Kerry van der Jagt - Komodo National Park, Indonesia: Exploring the wild island whose dragons inspired King Kong (Traveller)
11) BEST TRADE AND TOURISM NEWS STORY
Christopher Chamberlin - Emirates' VP Barry Brown talks premium economy, loyalty, flight netword and more (Point Hacks)
Sue Wallace - Taking the plunge alone (MiNDfood magazine)
Sue Williams - From Contiki to first class: How your generation likes to travel (Traveller)
12) BEST TRAVEL BLOG POST
Aleney de Winter - How to spend 48 hours in Vienna with kids (Boyeatsworld)
Aleney de Winter - Oahu with a twist (Boyeatsworld)
Christine Salins - One of the greatest all-time travel experiences: Sailing through the Panama Canal (Foodwinetravel)
13) BEST NATURE / WILDLIFE STORY
Kate Hennessy - Melting point (T Australia: The New York Times Style Magazine)
Jessica Lockhart - Off-grid hiking on Flinders Island: Tasmania's most underrated walking destination (New Zealand Herald)
Laura Waters - On the high seas of Gippsland (Australian Geographic Adventure)
14) BEST IMMERSIVE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE STORY
Catherine Best - So far, so good (Escape)
Kerry van der Jagt - A pony for your thoughts (MiNDFOOD magazine)
Kerry van der Jagt - One of Australia's epic train journeys is now even more remarkable (Traveller)
15) BEST AUSSIE ROAD TRIP STORY
Julia D'Orazio -Travel to El Questro – An Outback Wonderland (Caravan World magazine)
Briar Jensen - Captivating Kimberley (NRMA Open Road magazine)
Briar Jensen - Cornered in the outback (NRMA Open Road magazine)
16) BEST ACCOMMODATION STORY
Caroline Gladstone - The Peabody Memphis: The historic hotel where ducks live in the lobby (Traveller)
Belinda Jackson - Slow road to a blissful state (Canberra Times/Explore)
Penny Watson - Let there be light: New Bali escape's 'no walls, no doors' concept lights up the jungle (Traveller)
17) BEST TRAVEL PHOTO
Kate Hennessy - Skjoldungen Sound (T Australia: New York Times Style Magazine)
Rachelle Mackintosh – Rise (Women's Health magazine)
Rachelle Mackintosh – Inflight Entertainment (Women's Health magazine)
18) BEST TRAVEL VIDEO
Jeremy Drake - 12h in Taipei: How to do a long layover (Travel + Leisure)
Jeremy Drake - Michael Franti has the most fun wellness retreat in Bali (Travel + Leisure)
Caro Ryan - The grand cliff top walk, Blue Mountains (Lostsafreshair)
19) BEST DESTINATION GUIDE
Nadine Cresswell-Myatt - 8 unique mail runs to experience around the world (TravelAwaits.com)
Lynn Gail - 14 things you didn't know about Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australian Traveller)
Penny Watson - My (unexpected) island home: What we learnt after moving to Bali during the pandemic (Traveller)
20) BEST CRUISE TRAVEL STORY
Lindy Alexander - Plumped and primed for a Baltic Sea voyage (The Weekend Australian Travel + Luxury)
Carolyn Beasley - In the footsteps of kings (Escape)
Kate Hennessy - Melting point (T Australia: The New York Times Style Magazine)
