Welcome back to another edition of Award-winning Onkaparinga – our bi-monthly column celebrating the latest Onkaparinga-based state, national and international award-winners.
This month’s instalment features a dual Commonwealth Games medallist, lifesaving legends, King’s Birthday honourees, and international wine and spirits stars – let’s get stuck in!
Sporting stars
Local swimmer Molly Walker – who Onkaparinga Now first profiled back in 2021 and who’s no stranger to our pages – is now a dual Commonwealth Games medallist, having won 2 bronze medals in Glasgow this week!
Molly, an alumnus of Tatachilla Lutheran College and the Noarlunga Aquatic Centre-based Southern Performance Swimming Club, won the medals in the 1500m and 800m freestyle, shaving a whopping 12+ seconds off her personal best in the games’ first ever 1500m freestyle final. Congrats, Molly!
Another Tatachilla star, footballer Emma Charlton, recently captained the South Australian U18 Girls team to the national championship, defeating Queensland by 7 points in Game 4 in Victoria.
Southern Districts Baseball Club’s Mark Peters OAM was inducted into the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame, with the standout players, coach, administrator and Australian representative’s contributions to the sport leaving a lasting impact.
Meanwhile, local dance teacher Emma Stokes from Restless Dance Theatre was named Ausdance SA’s Dance Teacher of the Year. Emma’s contributions include teaching a weekly dance class for children aged 8–14 at the Aberfoyle Community Centre.
King’s Birthday Honours List
Several locals were honoured in the annual King’s Birthday Honours list in June.
Christies Beach’s Paul Daly was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his service to Australian rules football and the Onkaparinga community, while Port Willunga’s Peter Whiting received one for his service to the community of Adelaide.
Anthony Kittel – Managing Director of Lonsdale-based REDARC Group – was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to the electronic industry, and to the defence sector.
“This recognition is definitely not mine alone,” Anthony said. “It is a reflection of the incredible work, dedication, and passion that every single REDARC employee brings to REDARC each and every day.”
Lifesaving legends
Onkaparinga’s surf life saving clubs have been honoured with 2 awards at the Surf Life Saving SA Awards of Excellence 2026.
Christies Beach Surf Life Saving Club’s Richard Nurmi and Huee Deroussent were recognised with Rescue of the Year after helping ferry 5 people – one of them unconscious – to shore from an upturned vessel.
Meanwhile, Aldinga Bay Surf Lifesaving Club’s Tahlia Hicks was named State Young Volunteer of the Year, with the club praising the dedication, passion, and care that Tahlia brings to everything she does.
“Tahlia consistently goes above and beyond to ensure everyone feels welcomed, valued, and included. Her positive attitude, leadership, and willingness to serve others embody the very best of what volunteering is all about,” it said.
Cheers to the champs
What would an Award-winning Onkaparinga column be without a raft of recent wine and spirit awards?
A McLaren Vale wine was crowned the world’s best shiraz at the 2026 International Wine Challenge in the United Kingdom. The 2023 Beresford Classic Shiraz, from McLaren Vale’s Beresford Estate, placed first out of 111 competitors in the shiraz category, positioning the bottle amongst the nation’s and the world’s best.
A McLaren Vale distillery also won a major award in London, with Never Never Distilling’s Panettone Negroni taking out the World’s Best Contemporary Premix at the World Drink Awards.
The award caps off a huge few months for Never Never, with head distiller Tim Boast being named Australian Distiller of the Year at the Drinks 100 Australia Awards for the second year running, and their Triple Juniper Gin being crowned Australian Champion at the Melbourne Royal Australian International Spirit Awards.
Two McLaren Vale wineries have also recently won prestigious national awards – which featured Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as guest – at the National Wine Show in Canberra in June.
Willunga 100 won the Grenache Trophy for its 2025 Trott Vineyard Blewitt Springs Grenache; Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards won the Alternate Red Blends Trophy for its 2025 Brioni’s Blend.
Best in the business
It’s not just wine and spirits that Onkaparinga businesses are winning awards for, this month’s instalment includes a pub, restaurant, and award-stacked fruit and veg shop.
Adelaide Fresh Morphett Vale was crowned SA’s favourite independent fruit and veg store in the 2026 A better choice! Retailer of the Year – People’s Choice Awards, marking its sixth consecutive year at number one!
Aldinga restaurant Pearl was named in the national delicious. guide to Australia’s top fish and chip destinations, and McLaren Vale Hotel was named in a list of Australia’s Top 50 Gastropubs.
Seaford star
Seaford-raised bestselling cookbook author Julia Busuttil Nishimura has won a national book award – this time for a children’s book.
Julia’s Sundays Under the Lemon Tree – illustrated by Myo Yim – won the 2026 ABIA Award for Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year.
Paw-some council award
The City of Onkaparinga’s Community Safety team was recently presented with an LGA Mutual Award – which acknowledge WHS and risk management excellence in SA’s local government sector – for its use of K-9 Cubes technology.
The K-9 Cubes are used to collect stray dogs and they've been fitted to some of the rangers' vehicles, and the remote-controlled hydraulic units help reduce the risk of injury to both Rangers (including dog bites and musculoskeletal injuries) and to dogs.
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
Dual Commonwealth Games medallist, Molly Walker.