About Kara Murphy
I'm an award-winning freelance travel writer and underwater photographer. Based on Moreton Bay in Brisbane, Australia, I specialise in capturing underwater and nature-based images and writing inspiring articles to accompany them.
My travel writing journey began 20 years ago, a few years after I moved to Australia. In that time, my travel stories and photographs have appeared in a range of Australian and international publications, including News Corp Australia's Escape, Great Walks, Dockwalk, Boat International, Australian Traveller/International Traveller (online), Southern Boating, Yachts International, Our Planet Travel, and Australian Geographic.
In 2020, I launched my nature-based travel blog, Glide into Nature, which covers adventures underwater, on water, on land, through music, and with my beloved dog. Some blog posts include images that are available to purchase via my underwater photography galleries. These galleries include images from Lady Elliot Island, Queensland; other destinations in Australia such as Moreton Bay and Christmas Island; and overseas locations such as the Similan Islands (Thailand), Raja Ampat (Indonesia), and the Maldives.
I’m a full member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting ethical and honest travel. One of my stories, covering my initial arrival into Australia, is included in the ASTW’s Red Dust and Wanderlust, a collection of Australian travel tales.
The ASTW runs an annual Awards for Excellence; my award-winning and finalist entries have included Best Travel Photo winner (2017) and finalist (2018), Travel Photographer of the Year finalist (2018, 2015, 2014), Instagram photo finalist (2018), and Responsible Tourism story finalist (2018).
In addition to travel writing and photography, I occasionally create videos for my Kara Murphy Travel YouTube site. These videos usually have an outdoor travel focus, and they sometimes include one of my original songs.
My favourite assignments involve active and nature-based travel, underwater adventures, and responsible and literary tourism. Please contact me to discuss your editorial and photography needs.