Title: Australian Traveller
Issue: June/July 2015
Publisher: Australian Traveller Media
Total Pages: 140
Cover Price: $9.95
Ad Pages: 36, including two house ads, an insert from Visit Noosa and native content from The Blue Moutains’ Scenic World
Coverlines that work: 10th Birthday Issue; Newcastle Finally Gets Its Groove Back; Inside Tasmania’s Secret Wild Heart
Editor: Leigh-Ann Pow
On the eve of one Australia’s most anticipated events – the long weekend, it feels appropriate to look at the 10th birthday issue of Australian Traveller (despite no plans to go anywhere). In her editor’s letter, Pow (who is listed as the title’s editorial director/acting editor) celebrates the milestone and mentions that a new editor will be stepping into the chair vacated by Georgia Rickard (who is now acting associate editor at marie claire).
Across two beautiful pages, founder and director Quentin Long also gets in on the celebrations, detailing his and business partner Nigel Herbert’s establishment of the magazine – that a naysayer predicted would only last one issue. Staff members across editorial, sales and tech commemorate the 10 years with 10 memorable places in Australia, ranging from Alice Springs to the Great Ocean Road to my personal favourite place in Australia, Victorian ski resort Falls Creek.
The 10 theme continues with 10 farmers’ markets from across the country and the eight-page “10 years of Wonder” spread takes readers right across this wide brown land from WA’s Fortescue Falls to the Great Barrier Reed to Mungo National Park.
Just in time for June’s bonus day off, AT looks at beautiful places to spend a weekend, including The Barossa, Canberra (which it assures readers is the “new cool capital of Australia”), Melbourne’s Noir and Alice Springs. Steve Madgwick’s 12 pages on his seven day trip into East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory makes for fascinating reading, complimented beautifully by Elise Hassey’s stunning images.
As for getaways, a perhaps surprising contender is showcased over 10 pages – Newcastle, whose reinvention is profiled in the piece. Eco-resort Wolgan Valley gets 12 pages, which seems ideal for anyone looking to really relax close to Sydney. The country’s other luxury lodges are mentioned over three more pages. Tasmania’s Styx Valley also gets eight pages of what looks like great adventure holidaying.
Digital: Australian Traveller’s website is of the same high standard as the magazine, and offers a range of great photos and editorial to tide you over between issues. It has 11,000 Facebook fans and 21,200 followers on Twitter.