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Kerry van der Jagt

Kerry van der Jagt

Travel writer

Kerry van der Jagt is a Sydney-based freelance writer with expertise in Australia's Indigenous cultures, sustainable travel and wildlife conservation, and a descendant of the Awabakal people of the mid-north coast of NSW.

Neptune’s Bellows – the entrance to Deception Island’s Harbour.

The pitstop en route to Antarctica is just as impressive as the main act

Comprising 11 major islands, this icy archipelago is filled with spectacular landscapes, wildlife and ruins left by humans.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
Founded in 1629, a distinctive street market culture has since evolved in Shibamata.

The famous Tokyo neighbourhood few Australians have heard of

A record-breaking Japanese movie star put this area on the map through a series of 48 films. Visiting it is like stepping back in time to a Tokyo long gone.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
The 19th-century building has been transformed into two luxury self-contained apartments.

Ancient Tasmanian storage building is now a five-star escape

Heritage walks, a wine bar and vast wilderness await - if you can kick off the slippers provided and drag yourself outside.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
Pebbly Beach Escape blends in with the landscape.

Ideal beach escape three hours from Sydney will suit all types

I’m not sure what Pebbly Beach cabin’s founder would make of the modern comfort, but she’d certainly approve of the set-up.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
Japan in autumn.

Japan at its most beautiful? It’s not cherry blossom season

On this trip we see the beauty of Japan in full blaze. What we don’t see are crowds.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
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Bartinney Wine Estate, on the slopes of the Botmaskop Mountains.

South Africa’s ‘French corner’ is the ultimate gourmet escape

An hour from Cape Town, the Franschhoek wine valley’s reputation as the country’s food capital is well earned, but it’s not the only reason you should go.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
The art walk.

In one of the world’s glitziest cities is a hidden, abandoned highlight

I’m seeking abandoned buildings scattered throughout an island village. A pin on Google Maps is my only clue.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
Mount Fuji and Kawaguchiko Lake, Japan.

More than a photo op: Making the most of Fuji (without breaking a sweat)

Mount Fuji is more than a tourist’s snapshot – it shapes Japan’s cultural identity.

  • Kerry van der Jagt
Haji Lane, Singapore.

Ten underrated streets better than their world-famous neighbours

Whether it’s Hollywood Boulevard or Barcelona’s Las Ramblas, there are streets everyone wants to visit – and everyone does. Try one of these alternatives for a more authentic experience.

  • Kerry van der Jagt and Katrina Lobley
The UNESCO-listed Cape Floral Kingdom isn’t just the smallest, but also the richest of the world’s six floral kingdoms.

Here to see animals, it was the plants that blew my mind

If travel has one superpower, it’s the ability to transform us in the most surprising of ways.

  • Kerry van der Jagt