I’ve always admired writers—their words keep history alive and carry the stories of our world forward. Can’t wait to see what Corrie creates long after her time here at the Coorong.Life! - Kate
Artist bio:
Corrie Hosking is Paediatric Social Worker and past-published writer, experienced across the Arts/Health sectors. Early writing achieved various awards and publications—including Festival Award for Literature prompting publication of ‘Ash Rain’ (Wakefield Press, 2004), Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Australian Writer (2005), PhD Creative Writing, publication ‘Eating Lolly’ (Forth-Estate, 2008), Arts SA and Australia Council support.
Compelled to reinvigorate practice, Arts SA enabled exploration of new creative terrain and Corrie travelled to International Artists Residencies: ‘Luminous Bodies (2018)’, Toronto Island, Canada and ‘New Course (2019)’, Hämeenkyrö, Finland. Residency experiences inspired completion of an illustrated work of literary fiction—‘Clutch Feathers, Draw Breath’.
Interest in this manuscript led to short-listing for a 2022 Festival Award for Literature (Wakefield Press Unpublished Manuscript), selection for ‘Art Camp Ikara 2022’ and Deep Creek Residency Fellowship (2022)—the inaugural initiative of Matilda Bookshop, Writers SA, Ultimo Press, with mentorship provided by Hannah Kent. Most recently, the work was shortlisted for The Dorothy Hewett Award, 2025.
Corrie’s writing and ever-evolving creative practice is deeply rooted in landscape—where Kaurna land meets Peramangk, on the banks of Warriparri (Sturt River). In the future, Corrie would love to develop an Artists’ Residency, particularly eager to invite restoration of Country, through Landart projects.
Q: A Typical Day
A: I was absolutely thrilled to win a week at Coorong Life. What an exceptionally generous gift—free accommodation, in a magnificent setting. A sanctioned week to create.
My Residency happened to fall on my youngest daughter’s birthday and owner Kate embraced my tentative query that a couple of family members join me for the weekend. Kate’s warmth around what can be complicated layers of responsibility as a creative parent, bolstered my sense of this unique and flexible offering—of space, time, environment.
After my family left, a typical day at Coorong Life involved breakfast rituals, revelling in bird life, running the water’s edge and settling to write. It can be jarring to let go of The Busy, but a week gives enough time to ease into a more languid approach, reorientating to creativity. There is no better prompt that a magnificent natural setting, rich with sensory delight to remind us back into immediacy.
Over the Residency, my writing and illustrating days were generously punctuated with exploring the lagoon—foraging, collecting, noting… tuning beyond the dunes to the ocean’s ruckus, squelching toes in the liquorice mud, absorbing sunsets and later the expanse of stars.
Q: Influence of the Natural setting
A: Free accommodation, dedicated time and permission to create are important, but what makes this Residency experience is the magnificent Natural setting. I understand The Coorong is Ngarrindjeri Country and I acknowledge the deep significance of connection Lands and Waters and First Nations Elders past, present, emerging.
The Coorong is a wetland of international significance and recent scientific evidence highlights its fragility in the face of Climate Change. This is particularly true as I write, with SA’s algal bloom reaching catastrophic proportions. I see my creative practice as embedded in these complex realities. But despite devastation, I see we can find Hope in Nature and direct our anxieties, passions and creative compulsions towards celebration, restoration and repair.
Q: Moments of Inspiration
A: I find it utterly invigorating to write from / about place. Being at The Coorong permeated all I wrote—from sensory details of the wetland, to Cultural and historical morsels I came across in Kate’s library. Beyond the delighting in process, I started to re-think [what I hope with be] my fourth novel, to reconsider it set in a wetland of international significance. What a beautiful thing that the gift of this Residency can influence such a re-direction! I also had some fun painting in mud and playing with the fibrous slabs of dried slime.
Q: Take aways?
A: I came away from my Coorong Life Residency reminded of the huge significance of such
opportunities. But I was particularly struck by how Kate’s act of generosity can be such a source of creative energy. I was so inspired by this I hope to one day offer something similar on our own property… In a practical sense, I also came home with a huge armload of Kate’s homegrown broccoli and kale!! The gift that keeps on giving…
Q: In 3 words
A: Pelicans In Formation
Q: To the next artist
A: Even if all you can manage is to sink into warm sand, breathe a bit deeper, tune to birdsong, watch, feel and rest your weariness, trust that it will be what you need to reawaken your creative self.
