Welcome back to another bumper edition of Award-winning Onkaparinga – our bi-monthly column celebrating the latest Onkaparinga-based state, national and international award-winners.
This month we have awards presented at home and across the globe – honouring everything from gin to judo!
Sport stars
Onkaparinga has another world champion in its midst, with Paralympian and 2024 City of Onkaparinga Sportsperson of the year, Anu Francis (pictured), winning the PTS2 women’s gold at the 2025 Para Triathlon World Championship in October, beating USA’s Paralympic Champion!
Local judo superstar, Joel Taylor (12) from Willunga Judo Club, is also now a national champion, winning his first national title at the Kodokan National Judo Championships in Adelaide.
Beer, wine and spirits
Onkaparinga’s wineries, wine figures and distilleries show no signs of stopping on the prize front, with local labels winning awards in Bordeaux, London and everywhere in between.
Maxwell Wines was named the 2026 Best of Wine Tourism Award winner for Culinary Experiences in Bordeaux, France.
Meanwhile, 2 other local legends were honoured with international awards in London. Never Never Distilling Co. won both Most Innovative Spirit and Global Distiller of the Year at The Spirits Business Awards; and Victory Hotel’s Doug Govan honoured with the Guiding Spirit Award for Wine in Hospitality at the World’s Best Wine List Awards.
On the national award front, the Salopian Inn in McLaren Vale won Best Wine List SA as well as Australia’s Best Listing of a Single Region’s Wines – the second year in a row it’s claimed both titles.
Oliver’s Taranga won 9 trophies and medals (including 2 trophies and 3 gold medals) at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, including the inaugural Helen Healy Award for Excellence for the best in show based on medals received.
d'Arenberg took out Gold for Tourist Attractions at the 2025 South Australian Tourism Awards, also joining the Hall of Fame for winning the award consecutively. The winery was also ranked #24 on a Forbes ranking of the world’s best 50 wineries.
Finally, if you’re looking to get married down south, McLaren Vale’s Ekhidna Winery is a safe bet, having been named SA’s Best Restaurant Wedding Venue at the 2025 ABIA Wedding Awards.
School success
Reynella East College Year 9 student, Ameeran, has won a pair of prizes. She was one of 3 winners of the 2025 Eden School Prize, which recognises year 8–10 state government school students who explore how volunteering can make the world a better place. She also won a Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize for her research project about the experience of a South Australian service man or woman who served.
Aldinga Beach Primary School Principal Amanda Badcock (Miss B) was named the inaugural winner of the South Australian Primary Principals Association Early Career Principal Award.
Pubs and clubs
Two of Onkaparinga’s pubs were recognised at the Australian Hotels Association awards in October. McLaren Vale Hotel’s Chantel Behenna and Miranda Armstrong took out the Rising Star award, while Darlington’s Flagstaff Hotel won the Family Dining Award.
October was a busy month, with South Port Surf Life Saving Club also being named Clubs SA’s 2025 Club of the Year (Small Club category). The judges praised the club’s clear strategic planning, commitment to compliance and focus on sustainability – ensuring the club is well manager and future ready.
“At the same time, it remains a true community hub – delivery services, hosting major events and creating opportunities for young people and families to connect and thrive,” they said.
First-place foodies
Three Onkaparinga businesses were honoured at the annual South Australian Premier’s Food and Beverage Industry Awards earlier this month.
McLaren Vale olive oil producer, It’s Olio won the Emerging Business Award; Kuitpo’s Taronga Almonds won the Sustainability Award (businesses with up to 15 full-time employees; and Willunga egg producer feather&PECK won the publicly voted Consumer Choice Award (businesses with less than 15 full-time employees.
Two Onkaparinga restaurants were also named in Broadsheet’s Best New Restaurants of 2025 (Adelaide) list – Joe’s at Sabella (and Taco José), McLaren Vale; and Fall From Grace in Aldinga.
Council awards
The City of Onkaparinga was recently recognised with a prestigious international award for its collaborative work to create Onkaparinga’s Community Vision 2034.
The council won the Planning Project Award at the Engagement Institute’s recent Core Values Awards, selected from a field of 16 projects across Australia and New Zealand.
The council was also mentioned during the prestigious Planning Institute of Australia SA Awards ceremony this month for its work to better prepare Onkaparinga’s coastline for climate change impacts.
LGA South Australia was recognised for the Climate Ready Coasts program, which aims to improve coastal management and accelerate coastal-hazard adaptation and planning in SA, and the City of Onkaparinga is a key collaborator through the Adelaide Coastal Councils Network. In 2024 the City of Onkaparinga was Highly Commended at the Resilience Australia Awards for its Coastal Adaptation Plan and earlier this year secured 2 grants totalling $253,500 through the Climate Ready Coasts program to conduct coastal monitoring and modelling to help prepare for the coastal impacts of climate change.
The council’s Local Heritage Code Amendment and City-wide Heritage Review was also recognised at the awards with a commendation for the Stakeholder Engagement award.
Have an award win to submit?
Eligibility
For inclusion in the column, all of the following criteria must be met:
- Businesses, organisations, groups or individuals located in the City of Onkaparinga
- Winners of state, national or international awards in their chosen field
- Award received up to two months before submission.
Submission
Email to onow@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au
Please include:
- Your name and contact details
- Name and (if known) contact details of the winner
- Name and details of the award
- If available, web links to the award
- If available, high-resolution images.
Pictured
Anu Francis approaches the finish line at the 2025 Para Triathlon World Championship in October. Photo: Delly Carr