Hanna Moore
“I was on the road for about 42 weeks of the year, and loving every minute of it.”
Born on Sydney’s North Shore, Catriona Rowntree still calls East Lindfield home. But after 21 years (and counting) on the hit travel show Getaway, Catriona now spends most of her time in the peaceful surrounds of rural Victoria with her husband and two children. That is, of course, when Catriona isn’t out on the road, discovering the best places the world has to offer.
When cracking into the challenging media industry all those years ago, it was the warmth of a loving home environment that allowed Catriona to focus on making her work the best it could be.
“I’m so incredibly grateful for where I grew up,” Catriona says.
“I was really blessed because my family lived around the corner, so I would come back to a warm home, a full fridge and my mum would help me a lot.”
From bustling beginnings breaking into the industry – “I was on the road for about 42 weeks of the year, and loving every minute of it,” Catriona now has the luxury of a little more downtime, but even then she’s focusing on side projects.
“I was working between three states a week, seven days a week. I was young and keen and finally doing what I knew, from the age of fourteen, was what I wanted to do with my life,” Catriona reflects.
“I learnt the lesson that you’ve got to state what you want, always being prepared for who might be listening or watching and always follow your instincts. You’ll never know where it might lead you.”
It was this attitude that led from one executive meeting to another, which provided the opportunity for Catriona to film a short segment – in her local park, of all places. It was this, (and the need for a young, eager journalist prepared for the lifestyle of a travel reporter) that led to her big break at Getaway.
It’s no secret that the life of a reporter, and a travel reporter at that, isn’t always as incredible as it seems.
“Little things would be your undoing – coming home to an empty fridge, never being able to get your washing done, doing paperwork. It was a very difficult life that from the outside looks really glamorous.”
But there is always a new story to be told and a lesson to be learnt on the road, and this has perhaps allowed for this genre of travel reporting to flourish.
For Catriona, this lengthy gig has offered countless unforgettable experiences, but travel reporters can have a tough job living up to expectations.
“I feel like people are almost disappointed when I tell them I haven’t been to every single country in the world,” Catriona laughs. “The fact of the matter is that travel is infinite.”
“I still get so excited when I get a call from the Getaway office, and it always starts with ‘What are you doing on these days?’ I never know where I’m going to go. And I have to say, after 21 years, I have never once been disappointed.
“I would always say, ‘I don’t care where you send me, I’ll always meet someone amazing, I’ll learn one lesson, I’m happy wherever you send me,’” Catriona says.
“I really embrace our guest travellers, and I have an obsession with connecting with the concierge of the top hotels in the world. Little things that might not appeal to a Getaway viewer, but because it’s my own website, I’ve found my own audience.”
It was her fascination with telling stories and the infinite nature of travel which led to an expansion into the digital world with journeystocome.com.
“The audience is much broader, and it’s completely driven by my own interests,” Catriona explains.
“I really embrace our guest travellers, and I have an obsession with connecting with the concierge of the top hotels in the world. Little things that might not appeal to a Getaway viewer, but because it’s my own website, I’ve found my own audience.”
For today’s journalist, this notion of creating your own niche market online is a growing trend. The greater use of technology in media also provides an added advantage for travel reporters to capture their audience with an immersive travel experience.
“I can do Facebook Live cycling through the vineyards of Bordeaux, or because of time constraints I’ve asked people to come to the farm and we’ll set up a podcast there.
“You’ve got to have faith that people have the same interests as you,” Catriona says.
When asked about her favourite places, of which there are many, Catriona recounts a recent visit to Dubai and an experience at a local community centre where any and all questions about the people and culture were answered.
“I learnt that we all ‘tick’ the same way. I suppose that’s the great lesson I’ve learned about travelling is that ultimately, you are going to want to be accepted, be loved and feel safe. It doesn’t matter whether you’re living in Kenya, or Kirribilli, ultimately underneath our skin we all tick the same way.”
