ASTW Awards for Excellence 2021

The ASTW Awards Committee is proud to announce the winners and finalists of the ASTW Awards for Excellence 2021. Finalists are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Winners were announced at the ASTW Awards For Excellence Virtual event on 17 November 2021.

A huge thank you to our Diamond sponsor Tourism Australia and category sponsors for their generous support. 

Thank you also to our fabulous judges who are an integral part of the awards process.  You can read all about the 2021 judges here.

 

 

ASTW TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by TravMedia

WINNER 

Kerry van der Jagt 

• Rising from the ashes (MiNDFOOD)
• Connecting with country (Intrepid - The Journal)
• Modern city, ancient voices: Maori culture tours in Wellington, NZ (Traveller)

OTHER FINALISTS 

Kate Hennessy

• Hunters & collectors (T Australia: New York Times Style) 
• Sprouting new life (The Saturday Paper)
• A 2,000km road trip through north-west NSW: hot bore baths, ancient traps and chaotic courtesy buses (The Guardian)

Steven Madgwick

• Where it all began (Australian Traveller)
• Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan: How I learnt the true meaning of a 'Do not travel' warning (Traveller)
• Iran provided a ski holiday like no other, featuring a high-speed police chase and a confiscated camera (The Telegraph UK)

 

BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY OVER 1000 WORDS – Sponsored by Tourism Australia

WINNER

Craig Tansley - Wessel Islands, NT - A spectacular forgotten part of Australia (Traveller)

OTHER FINALISTS

Kate Hennessy - Hunters & collectors (T Australia: New York Times Style)

Kerry van der Jagt - Rising from the ashes (MiNDFOOD)  

 

BEST AUSTRALIAN STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS – Sponsored by Tourism Australia

WINNER

Kerry van der Jagt - Connecting with country (Intrepid - The Journal) 

OTHER FINALISTS

Steven Madgwick - Why Rex's milk run flight from Brisbane to Mt Isa beats a 'flight to nowhere' (Traveller)

Lee Mylne - Spirited through the Outback in style (The Australian)  

 

BEST AUSSIE ROAD TRIP STORY - Sponsored by Outback Queensland Tourism

 

WINNER

Justin Meneguzzi - The road to recovery: a year on from the bushfires on Australia's Sapphire Coast (National Geographic)

OTHER FINALISTS

Anabel Dean - More than the dog on the tuckerbox (The New Daily) 

Marian McGuinness - Stromatolites: The Earth’s oldest living lifeforms (BBC)  

 

BEST NATURE / WILDLIFE STORY - Sponsored by Visit Sunshine Coast

WINNER

Kate Hennessy - Hunters & collectors (T Australia: New York Times Style) 

OTHER FINALISTS

Anabel Dean - Naturally gifted (Australian Country)

Kerry van der Jagt - Rising from the ashes (MiNDFOOD)  

 

BEST SUSTAINABLE TOURISM STORY – Sponsored by Norfolk Island Tourism

WINNER

Carolyn Beasley - Home on the rangelands (Australian Geographic)

OTHER FINALISTS

Lee Mylne - Turning the tide (Weekend Australian Magazine)

Kerry van der Jagt - Rising from the ashes - Kangaroo Island (MiNDFOOD)  

 

BEST FOOD / BEVERAGE TRAVEL STORY – Sponsored by Ultimate Winery Experiences

WINNER

Ellie Cobb - Japan’s unknown indigenous cuisine (BBC)

OTHER FINALISTS

Celeste Mitchell - Berry nice (Q Weekend)

Sarah Reid - Who were the world's first bakers? (BBC)  

 

BEST IMMERSIVE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE STORY - Sponsored by Azamara

 

WINNER

Kerry van der Jagt - Rising from the ashes (MiNDFOOD)

OTHER FINALISTS

Carolyn Beasley - Stopping all stations (Get Lost)

Flip Byrnes - Out of the blue (Delicious)  

 

BEST INSTAGRAM PHOTOGRAPH – Sponsored by Lord Howe Island Tourism

WINNER

Lynn Gail - Pockets of symmetry

OTHER FINALISTS

Narelle Bouveng - Outback therapy

Rachelle Mackintosh - Flying high  

 

BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY OVER 1000 WORDS – Sponsored by Globus

WINNER

Anabel Dean - GO NZ: A map-free road trip from Auckland to Northland (NZ Herald)

OTHER FINALISTS

John Borthwick - In praise of escapism (The West Australian)

Carrie Hutchinson - Away with the birds (Get Lost)  

 

BEST INTERNATIONAL STORY UNDER 1000 WORDS – Sponsored by YourLifeChoices

WINNER

Craig Tansley - The remains of Tuscany (Which)

OTHER FINALISTS

Flip Byrnes - Matera, licenced to thrill (Delicious)

Flip Byrnes - The tip of the iceberg (Hurtigruten)  

 

BEST TRADE AND TOURISM NEWS STORY

WINNER

Aleney de Winter - Tracing songlines (Holidays With Kids)

OTHER FINALISTS

Aleney de Winter - Backyard blitz (Holidays With Kids)

Angela Saurine - 13 ways coronavirus will change how families travel (Out And About With Kids)  

 

BEST ACCOMMODATION STORY - Sponsored by Spicers Potts Point

WINNER

Kirstie Bedford - Ultimate Aussie adventures (Luxury Escapes)

OTHER FINALISTS

Helen Hayes - This could be Australia's best glamping experience (Escape)

Emily McAuliffe - Old gold and outback elegance (Australian Traveller)  

 

BEST TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPH

WINNER

Lynn Gail - Homeland departure (Travel begins at 40)

OTHER FINALISTS

Marie Barbieri - The bare bones of Death Valley (TellMeWhere2Go)

Rachelle Mackintosh - Inflight entertainment (The Sun)  

 

BEST FAMILY TRAVEL STORY

WINNER

Flip Byrnes - The ultimate odyssey (Out and About with Kids)

OTHER FINALISTS

Danielle Norton - Lessons my adventurous mother taught me about life, travel and family (AWOL)

Angela Saurine - Why you should travel with kids (Out And About With Kids)  

 

BEST TRAVEL BLOG POST

WINNER

Marie Barbieri - Rollin’ on the… Murray River

OTHER FINALISTS

Christine Salins - Elephant greetings at Madikwe Game Reserve

Susan Skelly - Luxury in the time of coronavirus  

 

BEST TRAVEL BOOK

WINNER

Laura Waters - Bewildered

OTHER FINALISTS

Lee Atkinson - The Definitive Bucket List

Andrew Bain - Ultimate Cycling Trips: World  

 

Thank you to all the judges who assisted with the judging of the Awards for Excellent 2021. If you would like to meet the judges who donated their time and effort, their biographies will be published on the ASTW website after the Virtual Awards ceremony.