Natural disaster on Instagram: examining representations of the 2018–2019 Tasmanian fires

This paper performs analysis of Instagram posts for the 2018–2019 Tasmanian wildfires to identify the key ways that locations were visually and textually represented. It identifies key themes and it looks at visual and photographic forms and genres typical of the survey. The findings add complexity to known ideas about mass media representations of natural disaster: whereas visual depictions of disaster are generally considered to represent trauma and suffering, Instagram representations may frame these events as more positive or aesthetically “beautiful”. Thus, the paper provides an important contribution to the literature on media and natural disaster, understanding ways that general users may be able to connect and alter existing media narratives, which offers insights for destination managers and tourist organisations.