There is no shortage of stories worth telling about regional South Australia.

Across the state, people are building businesses, protecting remarkable places, responding to challenges and finding new ways to put their communities on the map.

The Regional Showcase program, presented by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, celebrates those stories all year round – and now, 20 of them are competing for one final accolade: the 2026 InDaily Regional Showcase People’s Choice Award.

The winner will be decided by public vote, with the award to be presented at the Regional Showcase awards event on Thursday, November 5.

So, which story gets your vote?

The 20 finalists span the breadth of regional South Australia, from the Adelaide Hills and Barossa to the Riverland, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, the Flinders and far beyond.

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They also show just how varied the stories coming out of regional communities can be.

There is the story of Adelaide Hills winemaker Danniel Amadio, whose focus on alternative grape varieties has helped his business find success on the international stage. His wines picked up a string of medals at the London International Wine Competition, including a Double Gold for a 2017 Sagrantino.

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Then there is a story that reaches considerably further back in time: the return to Andamooka of Karkaroo, an extraordinarily preserved 110-million-year-old opalised plesiosaur fossil. After a two-year restoration, the rare specimen is now back in the town where it was discovered – providing another remarkable link between Andamooka’s mining heritage, tourism and scientific significance.

Other finalists look to the future.

In the Riverland, a community response to drought showed the power of people coming together. A long-table brunch in Loxton brought hundreds of locals together to support farmers and regional businesses, raising more than $11,000 through a campaign designed to keep money circulating within the local economy.

Elsewhere, the finalists shine a light on historic buildings, emerging tourism opportunities, environmental conservation, regional health services, new infrastructure and the people working behind the scenes to strengthen their communities.

There are stories about business and agriculture, science and heritage, resilience and renewal – but what they have in common is that they reveal something about the people and places that make regional South Australia distinctive.

That is at the heart of the Regional Showcase program.

Running throughout the year, the program aims to uncover and share stories of achievement from across the regions, putting them in front of local, national and international audiences.

It is about more than celebrating success. By telling these stories, Regional Showcase helps build awareness of what regional South Australia has to offer and highlights the people, businesses and opportunities that could help drive future investment and growth.

Now, readers have the chance to decide which of those stories has made the biggest impression.

You can read through all 20 finalists before casting your vote, whether there is one story that immediately stands out or you want to discover something new about a part of the state you know less well.

Perhaps it is a story from your own region. Perhaps it is a person whose achievements deserve recognition. Or perhaps one of the stories has simply changed the way you see regional South Australia.

The choice is yours.

Voting is open until 11.59pm on Wednesday, September 30, so there is time to explore the finalists and have your say.

Read the stories, choose your favourite and vote for the 2026 InDaily Regional Showcase People’s Choice Award.

Read the stories and cast your vote here.