Author Archives: Briar's Travel Beat

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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.

Postcard of the week – Heart Reef, Whitsundays

It’s been overcast, wet and very grey in Sydney this week. I need some colour to brighten the mood, so have chosen this image of the Great Barrier Reef, taken last year on a scenic flight with  GSL Aviation out … Continue reading

Posted in Attractions, Australia, Postcards, Queensland, Travel | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bottoms up to Kakadu Bird Week 14-21 October 2015

A bums-up salute from magpie geese greeted us at Mamukala Wetlands last month as they scrabbled to stretch their necks to the bottom of the billabong in search of juicy bulbs. It was a comic display and one that was … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, bird watching, birds, Kakadu Bird Week, Travel News & Events | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Postcard of the week – Hawkesbury

I was eagerly anticipating the television mini-series of Kate Grenville’s bestselling novel The Secret River, a story of conflict between the First Australians and early European settlers, which recently aired on the ABC, both to see how the story played out … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Hawkesbury, National Parks, Postcards, Sydney, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Product Review: Lightweight seat pad for hiking (no more wet bum)

It’s no fun hiking with a wet butt, and while my bum might look big from behind, the padding is in all the wrong places when it comes to perching on a rocky ledge, which is why I’m in love … Continue reading

Posted in Travel, Travel Accessories & Gadgets, Travel Gifts | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Postcard of the week – Magnetic Island

How gorgeous is this sunset, taken at from Nobby Point on Magnetic Island a few years ago? I just love the golden colour of the sky and the viscous texture its reflection gives to the water. There are some rustic … Continue reading

Posted in Australia, Postcards, Queensland, Travel | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

National Anzac Centre

It’s not widely known, even in Australia, that the first Anzac fleet, made up of the Australian Imperial Force and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, departed Australia from King George Sound, near Albany on Western Australia’s southern coast, bound for … Continue reading

Posted in Attractions, Australia, Museums, Western Australia | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Postcard of the week – Faces of Myanmar

How beautiful are these faces of Myanmar? Open, inquisitive, intrigued, bemused, and for the little guy on the left, perhaps a little bewildered at us and our cameras. I visited Myanmar (formerly Burma) for the first time recently and was … Continue reading

Posted in Burma, Myanmar, Postcards, Travel | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Free accommodation on Sydney’s Pittwater

Fancy a weekend getaway in the bush free of charge, staying at a historic property overlooking Pittwater’s Morning Bay? Spend your free time watching the local wildlife, hiking through Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, kayaking the bays or just  relaxing in … Continue reading

Posted in Accommodation, Australia, Sydney, Travel, Volunteering | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Postcard of the week – National Thai Elephant Day

I’m a little late, but March 13 is National Thai Elephant Day, so I thought I’d post this picture I took several years ago at Elephant Nature Park, a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Chang Mai, Thailand. The centre provides a … Continue reading

Posted in Postcards, Thailand, Travel | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Big Lap – Pictorial guide to driving around Australia

Planning on driving around Australia? Want to hit the open road or the road less travelled? Or perhaps you just enjoy looking at stunning images of Australia’s diverse landscape, from the burnt orange outback to the pounding aquamarine surf? Then … Continue reading

Posted in Adventure, Australia, Road Trips, Travel, Travel News, Travel News & Events | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments