Well, hello! It’s great to see you here.
I’m a globe-trotting storyteller who delivers thoroughly researched copywriting and journalism for brand and editorial clients.
My name is Denise Cullen and I’m a freelance contributor to a host of local and international publications, including Australian Geographic, The Australian (Travel + Luxury), Cosmos, Explore, The Guardian Australia, Narratively, and more. My work has taken me all over Australia and the world. I’ve dived with sharks in Sydney, gone inside the world’s most idyllic research station, foraged for mushrooms in Finland and hiked through some of South East Queensland’s most primitive Gondwanan rainforest.
Interested in becoming a freelance writer?
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7 THINGS I LEARNED AT ... The Art of Nourishing Cuisine roadshow, a collaboration between Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat and Thermomix, which kicked off this weekend at the Pullman Brisbane Hotel.
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1. Healthy food can be delicious. Case in point: the delectable lemon slice which features at the end.
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2. Turmeric and lemon are perfect partners.
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3. Iced tea mocktails with Siberian ginseng, green tea, gotu kola is almost as good as a double-shot latte.
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4. A tiny tub of vanilla paste is almost 18 per cent alcohol, so use pods if you`re on the wagon.
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5. If you soak beans with kombu, it makes them more digestible.
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6. Laksa is delicious, even first thing in the morning.
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7. My next trip to Gwinganna is seriously overdue.
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So many delicious tips from Sam Gowing, Noni Jenkins, Justin Addie, Magdalena Roze, and more. Next hitting Melbourne (22 June), Sydney (20 July) and Auckland (TBC).
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@gwinganna
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@thermomixaus
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@thermofit_with_noni
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@pullmanbrisbane
Creativity is often portrayed as a lighting bolt, a thunderclap, a divine spark from the heavens.
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But in reality, it thrives on far more mundane matters.
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Things like discipline, structure, consistency ...
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My latest blog post looks at how writing rituals work and why you should cherish yours.
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Drop a RITUAL in the comments, and I`ll send it straight to you.
Wondering what`s behind the doors of Brisbane`s newest mega-gym and spa?
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I`m bringing you all the details from inside Total Fusion Platinum in my latest story for @the.australian.
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Thanks to @totalfusionplatinum for the experience and the images.
DINING AT ... Hellenika, Brisbane.
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Fresh from a late 2023 refurbishment, Hellenika at The Calile Hotel is back, brighter and more beautiful than ever. A muted pastel palette and understated but stylish interior place the emphasis directly on the elevated Greek menu. 😋
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I first fell in love with Greek food when living and working in Athens. But there`s so much more to it than moussaka and horiatiki (Greek salad). From the tangy amuse bouche (fish and lemon soup) to the light-as-air calamari, and from the earthy, veal-stuffed dolmades to the fragile filo pastry enveloping creamy custard (bougatsa), both the food and service at Hellenika were impeccable.
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@hellenika
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@thecalilehotel
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#nothostedjustforfun
Why does pitching to editors sometimes feel like throwing darts at the wall (while drunk and blindfolded)?
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My latest blog post uses brain science and good old-fashioned trial and error to unpack three ways you can triple, quadruple, or even quintuple the odds of your story pitch getting picked up.
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Comment PITCH below and I`ll drop you a link to the post.
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#writing #writingcommunity #writer #writingtips #pitching #writerpitch #freelancewriter #writingbusiness #pitchingguide #brisbanewriter
Seeking a sleep-in? Planning to pop the question? Or just want some peaceful, distraction-free dining?
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Regardless of your reasons, nowhere does adults-only ambience like Queensland.
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My latest story in @the.australian looks at the child-free escapes which promise rest and relaxation. You can download a copy from the link in my bio.
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Photo courtesy
@narrowsescape
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Also featured
@reefhousepalmcove
@bedarraisland
@hamiltonisland (Beach Club) @intercontinentalhaymanisland (The Pavilions)
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#childfree #resort #thisisqueensland #sunshinestate #queensland #seeaustralia #getaway #narrowsescape #beachclub #hamiltonisland #hammo #bedarraisland #thepavilions #haymanisland #islandlife #travelwriter #brisbanewriter
Do women prefer drummers?
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Among a population of rare parrots in Far North Queensland, the answer is: they do.
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Male Palm Cockatoos fashion their own percussion instruments, which they then use to drum on trees to impress the ladies.
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My latest for @cosmosmagazine looks at the threats facing these remarkable avian drummers.
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My interviewee, Professor Robert Heinsohn from @ouranu, says these are his favourite birds, and I can absolutely see why. I`m now hatching a plot to get up to Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park so I can see them for myself.
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Footage and photo from Robert Heinsohn.
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@qldparks
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#palmcockatoos #parrots #birdsofinstagram #farnorthqueensland #fnq #queensland #seeaustralia #travelwriter #sciencewriter #brisbanewriter
Are oysters one of the five food groups? 🥑 🥚 🍞 🌽 🍐
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Here they are, dressed in lychee, cucumber granita, and karkalla, and served with the Edo-San cocktail. 🍸
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Followed by tuna ceviche with ponzu, avocado, wasabi mousse, and cassava crackers.
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The background looks like frosted glass because a storm had just swept through.
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It was early evening after TravMedia`s International Media Marketplace (IMM). I could no longer string two words together, but I could still eat. And drink.
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@zephyrbarsyd
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@hyattregencysydney
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@travmedia
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#rooftopbar #sydney #sydneybar #oysters #cocktailbar #cocktails #foodwriter #travelwriter #brisbanewriter #hosted
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