Top Design Journalists in Australia (2025)

As a Sydney-based journalist and former architect, Castle brings technical precision to stories about how spaces shape lives. Her current work for Domino, ArchitectureAU, and InDesignLive focuses on three pillars:

• Culturally-grounded sustainability: How regional materials and traditions inform net-zero design
• Workplace evolution: Metrics-driven analysis of post-pandemic spatial strategies
• Democratic aesthetics: Making good design accessible beyond luxury markets

Pitching Insights

• Do: Include floor plans with annotated social interaction zones
• Don’t: Lead with square footage or cost metrics without cultural context
• Highlight: Resident/occupant diaries tracking space usage patterns

Recent recognition includes a 2023 Walkley Award nomination for exposing regulatory gaps in building safety. Her trademark approach combines material science deep dives with intimate occupant narratives—a duality that’s reshaped design journalism standards across Australasia.

As Managing Editor at The Design Files, Elle Murrell has become Australia's foremost voice in purpose-driven design journalism. Her work intersects three key areas:

• Sustainable Architecture: Profiles of climate-responsive buildings and material innovations
• Housing Accessibility: Investigative pieces on ownership models and policy impacts
• Cultural Preservation: Global narratives about traditional crafts in modern economies

Pitching Priorities

Successful story ideas should:

• Demonstrate measurable environmental impact through case studies
• Highlight financial accessibility in design solutions
• Incorporate cross-cultural comparisons with Australian applications

"The most compelling pitches combine rigorous research with human-centered storytelling—show me not just what's innovative, but who it benefits and why it matters."

As Style Director at Real Living Magazine, Fiona Michelon has redefined how Australians approach home design. Her work bridges the gap between high-end aesthetics and everyday livability, with particular emphasis on:

• Sustainable transitions: 72% of her 2024 articles featured eco-conscious brands
• Regional craftsmanship: Championed 14 Indigenous Australian designers in the past year
• DIY empowerment: Her styling tutorials average 3.2M annual video views

Pitching Priorities

• Seek: Multi-functional furniture, culturally grounded textiles, circular design innovations
• Avoid: Fast-fashion decor, overly technical architectural products, luxury-only solutions

"True style emerges when spaces reflect their inhabitants – not magazine spreads."

As a leading design and arts journalist, Gillian Serisier dissects how built environments shape cultural identity. Her work for ArtsHub Australia and IndesignLive merges architectural critique with anthropological insight, particularly in regional art movements and Indigenous placemaking.

Key Coverage Areas

• **Public Art Installations**: Examines murals, sculptures, and festivals driving community revitalization (e.g., Nevada’s Free Range Art Highway)
• **Adaptive Reuse Architecture**: Documents heritage preservation meets sustainable innovation (e.g., Hobart’s Salamanca Arts Centre retrofit)
• **Global Cultural Exchange**: Tracks Australian influence in international exhibitions (e.g., Washington DC’s National Museum of Women in the Arts)

Avoid Pitches About

• Commercial product launches or interior design trends
• Performing arts reviews without spatial/design components
• Urban planning policies lacking artistic integration

Career Highlights

“Serisier’s writing turns buildings into biographies, revealing how walls hold stories.” — ArchitectureAU Editorial Board, 2023

• **Editorial Leadership**: Grew Habitus magazine’s readership by 40% through focus on Asia-Pacific design innovation
• **Award Recognition**: 2022 Drum Media Award shortlist for cultural commentary

As Managing Editor of The Design Files, Sally Tabart champions stories that intersect design, culture, and social equity. Her work prioritizes:

• Indigenous art and sustainability: She amplifies creators addressing environmental or cultural preservation.
• Creative industries’ evolution: From feminist zines to urban gardening, she explores how communities adapt to modern challenges.
• Human-centered narratives: Avoid corporate-focused pitches; instead, highlight grassroots movements or personal journeys.

Pitching Preferences

• Do: Propose interdisciplinary projects, data-driven sustainability stories, or profiles of underrepresented innovators.
• Avoid: Luxury fashion, commercial real estate, or trends lacking ethical depth.

For communicators seeking engagement with Australia's foremost design journalist, we recommend these strategic approaches:

Core Coverage Areas

• Design Economics: Focus on export-ready Australian design innovations with verifiable ROI metrics (e.g., his 2024 analysis of Tasmanian timber acoustic panels in Asian concert halls)
• Cultural Architecture: Projects blending Indigenous knowledge with contemporary engineering, particularly in climate adaptation (see 2023 feature on flood-resistant Queensland museums)
• Luxury Sector Ethics: Investigations into supply chain transparency, with preference for ASEAN-focused case studies

Pitching Red Flags

• Product launches lacking heritage or sustainability narratives
• Fashion tech emphasizing wearables over textile innovation
• Urban development projects without First Nations consultation

Optimal Outreach Timing

• Q2: Preparing Sydney Design Week coverage (April-June)
• Q4: Annual luxury sector analysis (October submissions)