Too little of the Aboriginal concept of custodianship has filtered through to non-Aboriginal Australians, even after more than two hundred years of occupation of their country. 'Their country' - yes, a possessive pronoun, but for indigenous people possession is the province of the country. It does not belong to them, they belong to it. By contrast others must own: the land, the plants that grow naturally on it, the water that falls on it and flows through it, even the sky about it.

In his marvellous book, The Zen of Seeing, Frederick Franck quotes an ancient Chinese artist:

I have been gazing / At the scenery of Sho and Shung / I realise / I am all of a sudden / Part of the landscape.

The recognition being gained by nature writing in Australia as a specific genre gives hope that more people will come to see themselves as part of the landscape: part of country, land, water, place, and therefore will care better for it.

This hope took a giant leap forward in 2003 when the inaugural WildCare Tasmania Nature Writing Prize and Watermark Nature Writers' Muster were held. The synergy between Island in Tasmania and Watermark in the New South Wales coastal district of the Camden Haven, with their shared participants, is inescapable and inspirational. After her success in the 2005 WildCare Prize, Dael Allison wrote: 'I wouldn't have begun working in the nature writing genre if I hadn't attended the first Muster.' That synergy is reinforced by this special issue of Island.
In the euphoria that followed the success of the 2003 Muster, a question was inevitable: are there nature writers, or are there writers whose work includes nature writing? We considered the thoughts of such as Richard Mabey, Pete Hay, Eric Rolls and decided on a change of nomenclature to Watermark Literary Muster, celebrating the literature of nature and place. Writers shouldn't be confined in boxes.

Our poets have always been in the vanguard of nature writing - Judith Wright's poems drew early attention to the state of the land in the way her other writing drew early attention to the terrible treatment of its original owners. Writing of such integrity and beauty can support great ideas and ideals. It makes people see, enlivens all the senses, stirs the soul, commands attention, invites action.
Poetry will be a vital part of Watermark 2005. Peter Boyle begins his Of Poetry:

Great poems are often extraordinarily simple.
They carry their openness
with both hands...

Boyle's own works are exemplified by that statement as are the works of other poet participants Mark O'Connor, Conal Fitzpatrick, Dinah Hawken, Martin Harrison, Sam Wagan Watson, Ian Templeman, Eric Rolls and Carolyn Leach-Paholski - the latter whose Camden Haven poems, full of exquisite observation and language, will be presented at Watermark. As the first Watermark Fellow she spent three months in the Camden Haven in 2004. The fellowship, offered biennially for an emerging writer of nature and place, is endowed by an anonymous donor. It provides travel, a living allowance and single accommodation for up to three months, and offers mentorship by Eric Rolls. The 2006 Fellowship will be launched in October.

The 2005 Watermark Literary Muster will bring a group of gifted writers and discerning readers together in sessions that are limited to one hundred and fifty to preserve the intense and intimate atmosphere so enjoyed in 2003. The program is rich: Sam Wagan Watson will join Nicholas Drayson in conversation; Jane Lennon will talk with Mary White; Jim McVey is from the US; Michael Archer will address a literary dinner; Margaret Somerville will deliver the annual Henry Kendall Oration. Watermark is bringing together rock-climbing Australian actor, David Malikoff and the Novalis Chamber Ensemble to celebrate the words and music of nature in an evening performance.

Guided walks will explore beach and bush, whales and wildflowers are on order.

ELAINE VAN KEMPEN is the founder of Watermark. She was inspired by the presence in the Camden Haven of Henry Kendall, Kylie Tennant and now Eric Roll