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In honour of Eric Rolls and his seminal writing in celebration of Australia, and to foster excellence in Australian natural history writing, the Society has established
Eric Rolls was a farmer, poet, cook, fisherman and a supreme writer about the history and nature of his own country. He lived with vigour and manifest joy and leaves Australians a remarkable legacy of words and insights. His voice has become part of this land and has forever changed the way we live. Professor Tom Griffiths, FAHA, Research School of Social Sciences, ANU
Eric showed so many of us ways of seeing and writing the land that, in his absence, would never have been available to us, and which, in truth, we may never have attained without him. Dr Pete Hay, Honorary Fellow, School of Geography and Environmental Studies, UTAS
Eric Rolls is not only the finest Australian nature writer of European descent to date, he is the best there will be. David Foster, The Australian Review of Books, 1999
Eligibility
Citizens and Residents of Australia writing about Australia
Closing Date
June 30th 2010 - The Eric Rolls Prize will be offered biennially
Entry Fee
$10 – cheque or money order payable to Watermark Literary Society
Conditions
- Prose fiction or nonfiction in the genre of natural history writing (see definition below)
- One entry per person
- Entries must not exceed 6000 words
- Entries must be anonymous. The entrant’s name should appear only on the entry form and not on any part of the 3 manuscript
- All manuscripts must be typed on single sided A4 paper in 1.5 spacing with three (3) copies posted to the Administrator Lyndal Coote (PO Box 284 Laurieton 2443)
- Electronic entries will not be judged
- Entries or part thereof published prior to the announcement of the award or entered in any other award will not be eligible
- The official entry form or a photocopy of it must be used.
- Members of the Watermark Literary Society Board may not enter
- Confirmation of receipt of entries may be obtained by emailing watermarks@tsn.cc
- Manuscripts will not be returned
- The Watermark Literary Society will have first publication rights for the winning and other entries and may delegate these rights to the National Library of Australia. The Society reserves the right to edit entries prior to publication.
Announcement
The Prize will be announced in September 2010. The place and date of the announcement will be advised in advance and the results posted immediately after the announcement on the WATERMARK website.
Judges
The Prize will be judged by Ian Templeman (poet, publisher and editor), Nicholas Drayson (naturalist, novelist and award-winning essayist) and Elaine van Kempen (founder and president of the Watermark Literary Society).
Prizes
First prize of $1,000 plus participation in the 2011 Watermark Literary Muster (17-20 June) including return economy air fare to Port Macquarie (or equivalent), accommodation in the Camden Haven for five nights and full Muster attendance including lunch each day and some other meals.
It is a condition of the Prize that the winner participates in the June 2011 Watermark Literary Muster to present the prize winning writing or an excerpt thereof during The Eric Rolls Session which will be a feature of future Musters.
Up to two highly commended entries may be rewarded at the discretion of the judges. Prize/s will be full attendance at the June 2011 Watermark Literary Muster including lunch each day and some other meals. Accommodation will be provided, however the commended writers will be responsible for their own travel arrangements.
Definition
For the purposes of this prize, Natural History writing gives information about the natural world (eg. geological structures of an area, the predation habits of hawks, or the succession of forests) that is put into an interpretive framework that gives meaning beyond mere facts and is presented in a literary style.
Eric Rolls is Perpetual Patron of the Watermark Literary Society.
The Society is joined by his wife, Elaine van Kempen, in sponsoring this prize.
Entries to:
Lyndal Coote,
Administrator Eric Rolls Prize General Division,
PO Box 284, Laurieton, NSW 2443
E: watermarks@tsn.cc Telephone 02 6559 9953
Eligibility
Students in Years 10, 11 & 12 at High Schools in the Lyne & Port Macquarie electorates.
Closing date for entries
April 1st 2010.
Conditions
- Prose fiction or nonfiction in the genre of natural history writing (see definition above)
- One entry per person
- Entries must not exceed 1500 words
- Entries must be anonymous. The entrant’s name should appear only on the entry form and not on any part of the manuscript
- All manuscripts must be typed on single sided A4 paper in 1.5 spacing with three (3) copies posted to the Administrator Elaine van Kempen, PO Box 2038, North Haven, NSW 2443.
- Electronic entries will not be judged
- Entries or part thereof published prior to the announcement of the award or entered in any other award will not be eligible
- The official entry form or a photocopy of it must be used
- Manuscripts will not be returned
- The Watermark Literary Society will have first publication rights for the winning entry. The Society reserves the right to edit entries prior to publication.
Short list
Schools are asked to choose one entry from each of years 10, 11 & 12 to submit for judging.
Judges
The Prize will be judged by Pam Perry (WLS board member, retired teacher/librarian), Louise Luccarini (writer, linguist, musicologist) and Richard Cullen (retired High School English teacher).
Prizes
First prize of $100 plus participation in one day of the 2011 Watermark Literary Muster (17-20 June). It is expected that the winner will attend the June 2011 Watermark Literary Muster to present the prize winning writing or an excerpt thereof during The Eric Rolls Session which will be a feature of future Musters. Assistance will be given with travel.
Up to two highly commended entries may be rewarded at the discretion of the judges. Prize/s for these will be attendance at one day of the June 2011 Watermark Literary Muster.
Announcement
The Prize will be announced in June 2010 and the presentation made at the relevant school. The place and date of the announcement will be advised in advance and the results posted on the WATERMARK website after the announcement.
Entries to:
Elaine van Kempen,
Administrator Eric Rolls Prize High Schools Division,
PO Box 2038, North Haven, NSW 2443
E:
elaine@vankempen.id.au Telephone 02 6559 6888
In partnership with Varuna, the Writers' House
Mick Dark, son of Eleanor Dark and Dr Eric Dark, made a gift of their Blue Mountains family home, Varuna,
to Australian literature in memory of his parents.
Entry Fee
$30 – cheque or money order payable to Watermark Literary Society
Eligibility
- Literary merit will be the over-riding criterion
- Publication of a novel length work of fiction or collection of short fiction, memoir or biography or other work of non-fiction
- Publication of a significant extract of a novel-length work or work-in-progress
- Publication of least 3 short stories in major newspapers or literary journals
- Publication of 3 articles of at least 1000 words each in major newspapers or literary journals or collections of essays
- Publication of an individual poetry collection or at least 10 poems in major newspapers or literary journals or anthologies
- 2 long pieces (20 minutes) or 4 short pieces (5 minutes) broadcast by a recognised radio station
- A play workshopped or performed by a recognised theatre company
Residency and Mentorship
The Fellowship offers 3 weeks residency in the Camden Haven on the mid north coast of NSW with mentorship from Ian Templeman AM, poet, editor and publisher, and 3 weeks writing residency at Varuna in the Blue Mountains. The two periods may be consecutive, subject to availability of accommodation at Varuna, but must be taken no more than six months apart. The Fellow will be one of the writers invited to attend the 2011 Watermark Muster to read from work completed or in progress. Travel and accommodation will be paid.
Applications must be accompanied by an outline of the work to be undertaken (one double spaced A4 page), an excerpt from a published work (not to exceed 1,000 words); a 300 word piece about yourself and where you live.
Closing date Announcement
1st March 2010 9th April 2010
The Camden Haven Residency is available during June or July 2010. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained.
Entries to
Elaine van Kempen,
Administrator Mick Dark Watermark Fellowhsip,
PO Box 2038, North Haven, NSW 2443
E: elaine@vankempen.id.au Telephone 02 6559 6888
To extend our involvement with our own district, we are engaging with local Primary Schools by sponsoring a prize for Nature Study Storytelling in Years 3 & 4.
Each board member of the WLS will sponsor and liaise with a school:
Elaine van Kempen - North Haven Primary;
Pam Perry – Laurieton Primary
Lyndal Coote - St. Joseph's Laurieton
Mavis Barnes – Kendall Primary
Rosemarie Piontek - Heron's Creek Primary
Andrina Dawson - St Columba Anglican School
Book vouchers will be awarded to the best speaker in each of the junior primary classes, with attention being given to presentation and to the observation behind the presentation. In the case of Heron's Creek, the voucher will be awarded to the best story chosen from a joint Year 3 & 4 presentation. In each case the sponsoring board member will join school staff in adjudicating.
We are delighted to announce that the 2010 Literary Dinner speaker is
the renowned former ABC broadcaster and producer, author, oral historian and raconteur
Saturday 24 July 2010
Kendall Services & Citizens Club
7 pm for 7.30 pm
Further information will be posted one month before
and tickets will be available from Lyndal Coote at watermarks@tsn.cc |
