Last Thursday (31 October 2024), the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) announced the winner of its annual Awards for Excellence at a gala dinner held at the Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort Hunter Valley.

The awards recognise the year's best work from travel media professionals, with a rigorous judging process in place to ensure impartiality. This year, 627 entries were received across 22 categories, with a 60-strong judging panel that included members of the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW) and the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), along with other experts based in Canada, New Zealand, the UK and Australia.

The ASTW's new president Chris Ashton said: “It was wonderful to see so many of our members entering the awards, and the many different names – some life members, others new to the organisation – appear on the lists of finalists. The winning pieces were also published in a large cross-section of publications and websites, which bodes well for the future of the travel media industry.”

The ASTW thanks the judges and the generous sponsors of award categories, as well as the MC for the gala dinner and awards presentation, TravMedia's Blake Riddington. It congratulates all the finalists and winners, including the joint recipients of the prestigious Jack Butters Award for Outstanding Service to the ASTW, which acknowledges the legacy of the society's first president.

The winners on the night were as follows:

1) TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Virgin Australia

Dan Slater – Human powered

• There and Back Again (Australian Geographic Adventure)
• River Deep, Mountain High (Australian Geographic Adventure)
• How I Dealt with My Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis: First, Hike 500 Miles (Outside)  

 

2) TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR, sponsored by Coral Expeditions

Lynn Gail – At first light

• Aarti chant (Explore Magazine)
• Morning puff (Explore Magazine)
• Sweeper and a cow (Explore Magazine)

 

3) TRAVEL COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR, sponsored by TravMedia

Jodi Clark and Jessica Wood (TFE Hotels) – Prison Break: The Transformation of HM Prison Pentridge and opening of The Interlude

 

4) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS, sponsored by Tourism Australia

John Borthwick – No Rules in a Great Nowhere (Explore Magazine)

 

5) BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY OVER 1000 WORDS, sponsored by Tourism Australia

Justin Meneguzzi – In Melbourne, local innovators are breathing new life into forgotten spaces (National Geographic Traveller (UK))

  

6) BEST SUSTAINABLE TOURISM STORY, sponsored by Norfolk Island Tourism

Carolyn Beasley – Paddling with petroglyphs: Kayaking in Murujunga National Park (Australian Geographic Adventure)

 

7) BEST FAMILY TRAVEL STORY, sponsored by NRMA Parks and Resorts

Angela Saurine – The road trips I will always remember (Escape)

 

8) BEST FOOD AND BEVERAGE TRAVEL STORY, sponsored by Celestyal Cruises

Steve Madgwick – Jungle twists (Signature Luxury Travel & Style)

9) BEST INSTAGRAM TRAVEL PHOTO, sponsored by ASTW

Lynn Gail – Follow the light

10) BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS, sponsored by Walk Japan

Susan Elliott – Stranger Things (MiNDFOOD)

11) BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY OVER 1000 WORDS, sponsored by CroisiEurope Cruises

Penny Watson – South-East Asia's version of the Orient Express is back, better than ever (Traveller)

12) BEST TRADE AND TOURISM NEWS STORY, sponsored by Newcastle Airport

Aleney de Winter – Overbooked vs overlooked (Holidays With Kids)

 

13) BEST TRAVEL BLOG POST, sponsored by ASTW

Aleney de Winter – Unravelling the Secrets of Seaweed along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way (BoyEatsWorld)

 

14) BEST NATURE AND WILDLIFE TRAVEL STORY, sponsored by ASTW

Craig Tansley – See 'the most beautiful place on Earth' while you still can (Traveller)

 

15) BEST AUSSIE ROAD TRIP STORY, sponsored by ASTW

Jessica Palmer – Only in Outback Queensland: Tales of mating echidnas, green-ant jam and a ride in a Model-T with no brakes (The Wanderer)

 

16) BEST ACCOMMODATION STORY, sponsored by ASTW

Catherine Best – Staying at The Interlude Hotel: Melbourne's Pentridge Prison's transformation (New Zealand Herald)

 

17) BEST TRAVEL PHOTO, sponsored by Intrepid Travel

Kirk Owers – Riel Dancers, Under African Skies (Escape)

 

18) BEST TRAVEL VIDEO, sponsored by Bunnik Tours

Jeremy Drake – I drove America's most dangerous highway (Escape)

 

19) BEST DESTINATION GUIDE, sponsored by ASTW

Ivy Carruth – The new Oklahoma will surprise you (Escape)

20) BEST CRUISE TRAVEL STORY, sponsored by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

Sarah Reid – What it's like to cross Antarctica's Weddell Sea (National Geographic Travel)

21) BEST TRAVEL WEBSITE, sponsored by ASTW

Aleney de Winter – BoyEatsWorld

22) BEST TRAVEL BOOK, sponsored by ASTW

Flip Byrnes – Ultimate Skiing and Snowboarding (Hardie Grant Explore)

23) JACK BUTTERS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE ASTW

Christina Pfeiffer and Kerri McConnel

-ENDS –

For a full list of finalists with links to their work, go the ASTW website.

Photos by finalists in the Travel Photographer of the Year award are available here.

Photos from the ASTW Awards for Excellence gala dinner (photo credit: John Appleyard) can be found here in hi-res and lo-res.

For more information or to organise interviews with either ASTW president Chris Ashton or any of the winners, please contact awards committee member Carrie Hutchinson: carrie@copygirl.com.au / 0409 661 461.