Original Getaway presenter Tina Dalton dies, remembered as ‘clever, creative, visionary’

One of Getaway‘s first presenters, Bettina ‘Tina’ Dalton, has died.

The beloved presenter and Emmy nominee, who helped launch the hit travel program in 1992, died on the Sunshine Coast on Monday following a short illness.

The host turned award-winning natural history filmmaker is being remembered as someone who “shone an important light” on the natural world.

Dalton shared her life with Sydney businessman, art collector and philanthropist John Schaeffer until his death in 2020. She is survived by her daughters, Pnina and Chana, as well as her mother, sister and brother.

In 2023, the beloved Getaway presenter returned to the Australian travel program exactly 31 years after her first episode.

Former executive producer of Getaway for 25 seasons, John Walsh, said she will be “greatly missed by the Getaway family”.

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“Very saddened to hear of the passing of Bettina ‘Tina’ Dalton one of the original cast members of Getaway in 1992,” Walsh wrote in a touching tribute shared online.

“Tina was a very engaging presenter with a deep love of nature and an effortless communication style that really made you lean in and listen.

“She went on to become a celebrated wildlife filmmaker and returned to Getaway in 2023, 31 years after her debut for a multi-part series on Antarctica.”

Former co-star Catriona Rowntree, host of Getaway for 30 years, said it was “so sad to hear the news, of the passing of a role model to many of us”.

“RIP dear Tina, the OG of Getaway,” she wrote in post on social media.

Before her passing, Dalton was a wildlife documentary maker and producer at WildBear Entertainment with production credits spanning more than three decades.

In a tribute, CEO of WildBear Entertainment Michael Tear spoke on Dalton’s “passion for social and environmental issues”.

“Our collective knowledge base about the planet is so much richer because of her work,” he wrote.

She was described as “clever, creative, visionary, and great fun”, a colleague and friend who will be “sorely missed” by the team and industry.

“My thoughts are now with her daughters and wider family,” he wrote.

After making her Getaway debut on May 14, 1992, Tina reunited with show for a special episode, taking viewers on an icy journey aboard Scenic Eclipse while showcasing the pristine beauty of Antarctica and surrounds.

Since appearing on Getaway, Tina has worked in many high-end production roles, with her work nominated for an Emmy Award and a Sundance Film Festival award.

“When I got the call to present another episode of Getaway I knew I had to take the chance,” Dalton told nine.com.au at the time.

“The show has always felt like home to me, and makes me reminisce on the early days of my career.”