Author Archives: Briar's Travel Beat

About Briar's Travel Beat

Briar Jensen is a Sydney-based freelance travel writer. In her blog, Briar's Travel Beat, she shares her travel experiences to inform, entertain and inspire.

Graffiato – Taupo’s Street Art Festival 26-28 Oct 2019

Posted on October 9, 2019

Eleven artists, ten walls, three days. This is the formula for Graffiato, the Taupo Street Art Festival held over New Zealand’s long weekend from 26-28 October 2019.   The festival has been running for nine years with 125 murals created … Continue reading →

Posted in festivals, New Zealand, Taupo, Tourism, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ethical and sustainable travel – let go of the guilt

Posted on September 26, 2019

Learning more about ethical and sustainable travel brings on bouts of guilt about past indiscretions, however unintentional. Riding in a timber seat on an elephant’s back in Thailand years ago springs to mind first. It was part of a hosted … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Ethical travel, Sustainability, Tourism, Travel | Tagged | 4 Comments

Kakadu Bird Week 2019

Posted on September 23, 2019

Like me, most visitors to Kakadu National Park in Australia’s Northern Territory probably don’t come purely for the bird life. But it’s impossible not to be awed by the park’s proliferation of feathered friends, from a tiny, brightly-plumed azure kingfisher … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure, adventure travel, Animals, Australia, bird watching, birds, Kakadu Bird Week, National Parks, Northern Territory | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

So you want to be a travel writer?

Posted on July 17, 2019

I love serendipity. As I was updating my talk ‘Introduction to Travel Writing’, which I give from time to time at libraries and writers’ groups, a blog post popped up in my emails from my colleague Lindy Alexander, at The … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Wonderful Western Sydney

Posted on May 18, 2019

Lately I’ve been touring Western Sydney, gathering stories for articles, and I’ve been blown away by the diversity of experiences and attractions available for every age group and type of visitor, from thrill seekers, to nature lovers and history buffs. … Continue reading →

Posted in Attractions, Australia, New South Wales, Sydney, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toe-tapping retro fashion fun in the Blue Mountains

Posted on February 17, 2019

Love retro fashions? Like a bit of toe-tapping on the dance floor? Enjoy lingering with friends over delicious regional food and wine? Then you’ll love the Roaring 20s Festival. Held in Sydney’s Blue Mountains this year’s event takes place on … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Events, Fashion, festivals, Food & Wine, New South Wales, Sydney | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sydney’s QVB turns 120 – share your story to win

Posted on August 7, 2018

Since moving to Sydney 20-odd years ago I’ve come to love the elegant Queen Victoria Building, which occupies and entire city block. But like many of the shoppers and commuters that pass through her colonnaded walkways and underground passageways, I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Attractions, Australia, New South Wales, Sydney, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments