About Briar
Briar Jensen is a Sydney-based freelance travel writer. Her blog covers travel tips, reviews, insights and inspiration, travel accessories and gadgets.
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Outback #sunsets are something else! This one, atop windy Sunset Hill in Tibooburra, Outback NSW, finished in a horizontal blaze of bright orange, like a strip of tangerine peel on the horizon. We stayed and watched the night sky reveal layer upon layer of stars and followed the path of the Emu in the Milky Way as it rose up and across the sky.The colours of #outbackaustralia are so vibrant as to be unbelievable. This collage of silcrete and rusty ironstone splashed with quartz was snapped on the walk to Mount Poole Cairn outside Tibooburra in Corner Country, #newsouthwales It is one of the many historical stops on Sturt’s Steps, a new 1100km circular driving route through the region, with excellent interpretation. @sturtssteps #outbacknsw @cornercountryandoutbacknswA magnificent #eucalypt for National Eucalypt Day on March 23, which I’ve only just learnt about @eucalyptaus I’m too late to enter their photography competition but I did vote for #eucalyptoftheyear and look forward to the results.The colours of #outbackaustralia are so vibrant that when Australian artist Eric Minchin had an exhibition in the US of his outback paintings visitors asked why he painted the dirt red. They didn’t believe it was realistic, so on his next trip he took some dirt with him to prove his paintings were realistic. You can see examples of his work on the walls of the #tibooburra Family Hotel where more recently Roxanne Minchin painted a stunning image of the #dogfence Take a road trip in @cornercountryandoutbacknsw following @sturtssteps and you will uncover stories like these. #roadtrip- My Tweets
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Author Archives: Briar's Travel Beat
So you want to be a travel writer?
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
Wonderful Western Sydney
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
Toe-tapping retro fashion fun in the Blue Mountains
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 Blue Mountains, Blue Mountains Vintage Cadillacs, Charleston Challenge, Charleston for Charity, Charlotte Smith Collection, Charlotte Smith Fashion Collection, Dress up, fashion, festivals, Food and Wine, Hydro Majestic, Hydro Majestic Long Lunch, Plate Up, retro fashion, roaring 20s, Roaring 20s fashions, Roaring 20s Festival, vintage cadillacs
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Sydney’s QVB turns 120 – share your story to win
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 Architecture tours, Queen Victoria Building, QVB, QVB History Tour, QVB120, sydney, Sydney architecture, Sydney tours
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Whale of a tale – on Australia’s Gold Coast
Sometimes the tale behind an image is as breathtaking as the image itself – this time literally so. I was enthralled by the image on the cover of the latest issue of Where* Gold Coast magazine this month. The juxtaposition of … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Australia, Photography, Travel
Tagged Blue Dog Photography, Gold Coast, humpback whales, photography courses, whales
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Pack It! Part 2 – Five tips for buying travel packing cells
So after reading Part 1 Five reasons to use packing cells you’ve finally seen the light and decided to purchase some packing cells? Congratulations! But how do you choose the ideal packing cells (or packing cubes)? We all travel with different gear, … Continue reading
Pack it! Part 1 – Five reasons to use travel packing cells
Packing cells have changed my life. That’s a big statement, I know. But they have made my travelling life so much easier I wonder how I ever travelled without them. I just wish I had cottoned on to packing cells … Continue reading
Tai Chi with the locals in Bangkok
Apparently, tai chi is all about internal energy flow, but the only energy I’m channelling is nervous energy. How much of a goose (or perhaps that should be crane?) am I making of myself? But I don’t care. I feel … Continue reading
Posted in Accommodation, Bangkok, Thailand, Travel
Tagged Lumpini Park, Sofitel So Bangkok, Tai Chi
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10 Travel-themed homewares
Just because you are stuck at home, doesn’t mean you can’t dream about travelling. Part of the joy of travel is reminiscing about past adventures and planning new exploits. So surround yourself with travel memorabilia as a reminder of holidays past … Continue reading
Postcard of the week – Glorious gum trees
Sometimes nature blows me away with its beauty. Like this magnificent gum tree, whose subtle colours were given a vibrant makeover by summer rain (actually a summer downpour that turned our walking track in a mini riverbed). Rain gives the … Continue reading
Posted in National Parks, Postcards, Sydney, Travel
Tagged gum trees, Ku-ring-gai Chase NP
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