As editor of Great Walks, Brent McKean has redefined outdoor journalism through his focus on:
McKean’s current editorial interests include:
“The best pitches help us see familiar landscapes through new cultural or scientific lenses.” — McKean’s 2025 editorial guidelines
We’ve followed Brent McKean’s work as a storyteller who bridges the gap between outdoor exploration and human resilience. As editor of Great Walks, Australia’s premier bi-monthly outdoor publication, McKean has spent over a decade transforming trail narratives into cultural touchstones. His career began in travel journalism, but it was his pivot to documenting Australia’s walking trails that cemented his reputation as a voice for nature-connected storytelling.
McKean’s early career saw him backpacking through Europe and chronicling youth travel culture, but a personal tragedy reshaped his focus. After losing his best friend to cancer at 28, he embarked on a 1,200-kilometer walk across Victoria—a journey he later described as “accidental pilgrimage therapy.” This experience became the foundation for his editorial philosophy: walking as both physical challenge and emotional compass.
McKean’s comprehensive guide to 40 coastal trails redefined how Australians engage with their shoreline frontiers. The 328-page hardcover synthesizes Indigenous land knowledge with modern trail mapping techniques. Of particular note is his methodology: McKean walked each route with local Traditional Owners and National Parks staff, creating accessibility ratings that consider both terrain difficulty and cultural significance. The work has become essential reading for Australia’s $3.2 billion ecotourism industry.
This raw first-person account details McKean’s 28-day walk following his friend’s death from cancer. What begins as a physical challenge evolves into a meditation on trail therapy’s psychological benefits. The article popularized the concept of “grief walking” in Australian mental health circles, with counselors now prescribing guided walks for bereavement recovery. McKean’s trail journals from this period show meticulous documentation of daily mileage paired with emotional states—a dataset now used in university psychology programs.
In this 47-minute podcast special, McKean debates selection criteria for iconic trails with fellow editor Graeme Kemlo. Their lively discussion reveals McKean’s editorial priorities: ecological sustainability (30% weighting), cultural heritage (25%), and walker safety metrics. The episode’s viral moment came when McKean argued against including over-commercialized routes, stating: “A true great walk needs moments where the only soundtrack is your boots crushing quartz.”
McKean prioritizes stories about coastal trail preservation technologies, particularly those blending Traditional Owner knowledge with modern engineering. His recent coverage of Aboriginal fish trap-inspired erosion barriers demonstrates this interest. Pitches should include concrete data on ecological impact and involve Indigenous collaborators.
With his personal experience shaping professional focus, McKean seeks studies quantifying walking’s psychological benefits. A successful 2024 pitch from Deakin University researchers led to a 6-part series on neuroplasticity and trail walking. Include control group data and biomarker analysis in proposals.
While McKean reviews hiking equipment, he emphasizes adaptive gear for disabled adventurers. His groundbreaking 2024 feature on braille-enabled trekking poles set new industry standards. Manufacturers should submit products with universal design certifications.
McKean’s work increasingly incorporates Indigenous oral history techniques. Pitches using songline mapping or seasonal calendar frameworks receive priority. A recent collaboration with Gunditjmara elders used augmented reality to overlay creation stories onto trails.
With 63% of Australia’s coastal trails threatened by erosion, McKean documents adaptive management strategies. Successful pitches demonstrate community-led initiatives with 5+ years of monitoring data. Include before/after satellite imagery where possible.
“McKean’s work reminds us that every footstep contains both a personal and geological history.” — Australian Geographic, 2024 Outdoor Media Awards Citation
McKean’s 2023 Walking Through Grief article won the Outdoor Media Association’s Best Health Narrative prize, recognized for destigmatizing men’s mental health discussions. The judging panel noted its unique combination of raw memoir and evidence-based reporting, with suicide prevention groups adopting its framework for wilderness therapy programs.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Outdoors, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
