Award-winning Onkaparinga
Published on 30 September 2025
Welcome back to another bi-monthly instalment of Award-winning Onkaparinga, where we celebrate the latest Onkaparinga-based state, national and international award-winners.
Dive in below to discover winners representing Onkaparinga in McLaren Vale to Mongolia, Tokyo and the USA; acknowledging our skills in sausage rolls, scarecrows and everything in between.
Southern sports stars
Southern Vales Christian College Year 10 student, Awak Machar, was part of Australia’s national Under 16 men’s team (The Crocs) that won a historic fourth consecutive FIBA U16 Asia Cup title with an 85–58 win over China in the final in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in September.
Local swimming champ Molly Walker – from Noarlunga’s Southern Performance Swimming Club – represented Onkaparinga in Irvine, California as part of the Australia A team in the TYR Pro Swim Series in August. She not only won 2 gold medals and 2 silver medals, but she also swam 4 personal bests and broke 3 South Australian records (2 that had been held for 40 years) – in her first international meet, no less!
Woodcroft College old scholar and Olympian Kurtis Marschall won the bronze medal for pole vault (for the second time) at the recent World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Finally, Ryan (15) from Happy Valley and Lonsdale-based Christophers Taekwondo Academy won a silver medal at the recent KPNP International Taekwondo Open Championship. Head instructor, Josh Christophers, told Onkaparinga Now that Ryan competed against athletes that were 5–10kg heavier, 2 years older and higher in rank and experience.
The medal followed months away from the sport after Ryan suffered a knockout in a previous event.
“This is an outstanding achievement and recovery for a local athlete to make,” Josh said.
Best in the biz
MyEnergy Engineering won multiple gongs at the Master Electricians Australia Electrical Industry Excellence Awards for SA/NT, including Clean Energy Project of the Year for the third year in a row, and Project of the Year Over $1m. It followed this up by winning the national Clean Energy Project of the Year for its McHugh’s Robotic Dairy Power System in Mount Compass.
The Lonsdale-based company was also named a state finalist in the Telstra Best of Business Award across three categories. Watermayne – a McLaren Flat-based high-performance home builder – has also been named a finalist for 2 categories (Embracing Innovation and Promoting Sustainability). The state winners are announced 3 October – good luck!
In good spirits (and wine)
McLaren Vale wineries had a huge showing at the prestigious national Halliday Wine Companion Awards.
Thistledown Wines’ This Charming Man Single Vineyard Clarendon Grenache 2024 was named Wine of the Year, with the winery also claiming Best Grenache and the prestigious Best Red Wine Trophy. Bondar Wines was named Best Value Winery, while the Koomilya JC Block Shiraz 2022 was named Shiraz of the Year.
Willunga 100 took home 2 prestigious awards at the 2025 Sydney Royal Wine Show. The McLaren Vale producer’s 2024 Trott Vineyard Grenache was named Best Grenache, and it was also named Best Small Producer Wine.
McLaren Vale’s Never Never Distilling Co won 2 awards at the Sydney Royal Distilled Spirits Show – the Champion Alternative Spirit award for its Australian Absinthe, and the Champion Traditional Gin Award for its Triple Juniper Gin.
Also, a belated congratulations to Ginny Pig Distillery who scored a Platinum and Double Gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition!
Food, glorious food
McLaren Vale’s Maxwell Restaurant and Aldinga’s The Little Rickshaw were named in premier dining magazine, Gourmet Traveller’s hotly anticipated Top 100 Australian Restaurants list for 2025.
Maxwell Wines also won the Best Culinary Experience Award at the 2026 Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Awards (alongside McLaren Vale’s SA eBikes, which won the Wine Tourism Services award).
O’Halloran Hill’s Caffe Buongiorno was named winner of the Café Dining category at the 2025 Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards For Excellence.
Christies Beach’s CJ’s Bakery won a slew of recent awards to add to its already packed trophy cabinet, winning 1st place in the Professional Fruit Mince Tart category at the national Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph; gold for its traditional beef sausage roll at The Great Aussie Pie Competition; and a handful of second and third places at the Royal Adelaide Show Professional Baking Competition.
You’re a lifesaver
Christies Beach Surf Life Saving Club volunteer surf lifesavers were recognised with Surf Rescue Commendations from Surf Life Saving SA following a dramatic winter rescue. Well done, team!
School success
McLaren Vale Primary School students have won a slew of awards over the past few months for everything from gymnastics to cup stacking; and from dance to scarecrow-making!
The school received a State Award for its performance at Wakakirri – a nationwide festival for Australian schools that provides a platform for students to express their thoughts, ideas and aspirations through the art of storytelling and dance.
Meantime, its students have also won first place in events at the junior state gymnastics championships, a World Sport Stacking Association event, and even the Royal Adelaide Show’s scarecrow-making and vegetable and herb bouquet competitions!
Unsung hero
Finally, the City of Onkaparinga’s own Community Transport Coordinator, Trish Buckley, has been recognised with the Australian Community Transport Association Unsung Hero Award for her incredible contribution to community transport for more than 25 years.
Trish has built lasting, trusted relationships with both residents and volunteers over the journey. She invests the time to understand people’s needs and tailor transport solutions to their needs wherever possible.
Whether she’s coordinating services for vulnerable older residents, supporting volunteers with warmth and humour, or untangling complex transport challenges, Trish does it with passion and compassion.
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.