Carrie Hutchinson is a writer and editor for publications and clients around the world. A transplant to Melbourne, she loves nothing more than sharing the riches of her corner of the world with others through her stories and images. Otherwise, her happy place is the ocean, especially if it involves swimming with large marine creatures – yes, that does include sharks. Carrie won the International Food Wine Travel Writers Association Excellence in Journalism Award in 2021 for a story about a bike journey from Beechworth to Bright in Victoria’s High Country.
What does journey mean to you?
Transformation and discovery, both of yourself and other cultures and places.
What other country or location inspires you most?
The sea. My mind clears, I wake up early, I swim and relax and enjoy the sun on my body. For some reason, I’m not afraid of the open ocean. One of my most vivid memories is floating on my own in the deep blue after coming off the reef wall during a drift dive in the Maldives. There was nothing around me, apart from the occasional curious barracuda, but I could hear dolphins. It was incredibly serene.
Where would you go back to, and why?
For five years straight, I took time off in Hawaii. It’s such an amazing combination of culture and relaxation. Plus, every island is different and there is so much opportunity to snorkel incredible sights, like the Molokini Crater off Maui. Japan is the other place I return to time and again.
Top insider tip for Melbourne?
Go to a gig. According to Music Victoria, the city hosts 62,000 shows annually, so there’s always something on. Along High Street, which cuts through the northern suburbs of Northcote and Thornbury, there are venues, large and small, that host bands most nights of the week. Some of them are even free. They’re great places to meet the locals, have a couple of beers and catch some music.
What journey would you most like to go on?
There are a couple of experiences that are top of my list. I’d love to go to the Galapágos Islands and snorkel with marine iguanas. At the other end of the spectrum, I’d love to spend a winter in Tofino, on Canada’s Vancouver Island, and watch the storms roll in over the ocean from the warmth of the Wickaninnish Inn.
