Past, present and future supporters of Idiom 23 Literary Magazine gathered yesterday at CQU Rockhampton Bookshop to mark the release of the latest edition and to discuss a year of working creatively with the community.

A highly successful workshop at North Keppel Island Environmental Education Centre in June was attended by 32 enthusiastic participants from throughout the region.

The workshop participants had a unique opportunity to explore and appreciate the true island spirit of Kanomi, as well as writing poetry and prose under the guidance of CQU lecturer Dr Lynda Hawryluk and Brisbane author Jena Woodhouse (whose elegant poems appear in the latest issue).

The excellent 2005 winning entries in poetry and prose are included in Volume 18.

According to co-editor Liz Huf, "we need to thank our guest judges who have done a tremendous job over the last few years handling so many entries in so many competitions".

These guest judges include Phyl Coombes, Louise Waller, Rosslyn Prosser, Ann - Maree Dyer, Lyndal Lutton, Dr Geoff Danaher, Dr Wendy O’Brien, Dr Ann-Marie Priest, Dr John Fitzsimmons and Associate Professor Wally Woods.

"At the recent 10th Queensland Poetry Festival, Louise Waller, one of our tireless judges, received second prize in the Arts Queensland Val Vallis Award for unpublished poetry.

"Louise's poem was entitled 'A feather will fall to the moon as fast as a hammer'. We are so proud of Louise".

"Thankyou to all our sponsors for their generous support, our Arts, Humanities and Education Faculty, CQU Publishing Unit, CQU Bookshop and particulary RCotA, our Regional Centre for the Arts," Ms Huf said.

Photo: Past, present and future supporters of Idiom 23 Literary Magazine (from left) Dr Lynda Hawryluk, Geoff Danaher, Dr Jeannette Delamoir, Leonie Healey, David Murray and Liz Huf.