The Kapunda Football Club was bursting with ideas and enthusiasm last week, as the second annual Bank of I.D.E.A.S National Small Town Reinvention Conference rolled into Dutton Park.
Coordinated by Peter Kenyon, Director of Bank of I.D.E.A.S and the office of Tony Piccolo MP, the conference attracted 175 participants from small towns all over Australia and New Zealand, as an opportunity for community 'builders' and organisations to share inspiration and information.
It was also a platform for local groups and initiatives to be showcased, with field trips taken to Nuriootpa and Eudunda, as well as further afield to areas in the mid-North, as part of the conference program.
The Leader attended the final day of the conference on Thursday, and had the opportunity to hear first-hand some of the presentations, as well as speak with Peter Kenyon about the format of the conference.
"It's just about creating a fun space, where people can share stories, experiences, tools, challenges and their dreams," he said.
"I think the format we use is everything is short, sharp and punchy, no presentation is longer than 20 minutes, lots of opportunities for people to engage with each other in conversation, and on a bus, go out and have a look...
"People have loved it, it's been amazing."
Peter said there were at least 90 small towns represented, and estimated $250,000 had been generated into the local economy as a result of the conference being held at Kapunda.
He praised the Kapunda Football Club for its support as the home base for the conference's four day program.
"Someone got up at 6.00am just to put the heating on. It's that cute, small town hospitality has just been amazing," he added.
As a visitor to the region himself, Peter was impressed by many of the local ideas and initiatives happening in the area, some of which were showcased as part of the program.
"This region always surprises me. I mean, the Eudunda community and business association, how they're implementing their action plan. Mel Zerner, the ultimate network-weaver in what he's doing - fantastic," Peter said.
"The Barossa Co-operative, for example. There's no co-operative in rural Australia like the Barossa Co-op... it's out of this world, it's unbelievable, it's the best in the country...
"This area is just full of (great things)... It's been very inspirational."
Among a number of presenters on Thursday, Kapunda artists Danny Menzel and Maxine Donald had the opportunity to speak to the group about the Kapunda Mural Town project, and in particular the silo mural which is currently underway.
An auction of more than 20 conference-themed artworks drawn by veteran cartoonist Simon Kneebone, along with a few extra donations thrown in, raised $4,000 towards the Kapunda silo mural project.
Tony Piccolo, who initiated the idea of bringing the conference to South Australia, delivered opening and closing speeches for the event and reflected on the common threads that emerged: connection, collaboration and community.
"We heard stories of towns that dared to dream big - and did," he said.
"Whether it's a brick-and-mortar project or a festival, the message was clear: be bold, be courageous, and don't take no for an answer."
Penny Pratt MP, Member for Frome said earlier in the year she met Peter Kenyon in Western Australia to discuss regional tourism and to meet with businesses involved in his delivery of the first ever National Small Town Reinvention Conference, held at Pickering Brook.
"It was great to see so many communities represented at the Conference. The attendees left inspired after learning of how other small towns have been reinvigorated by thinking outside the square," Ms Pratt said.
Light Regional Council CEO Richard Dodson also gave a speech on the closing day of the conference.
"We've heard some bold ideas, practical insights, powerful stories that just re-affirm small towns are not only enduring, they are leading a new era of reinvention," he said.
"Our communities are not relics of the past, they are dynamic, determined and driving innovation from the ground up. The future is not something we wait for, it's something we build together...
"The conference has reminded us that while small towns across Australia face many challenges, we also possess the creativity, resilience and determination to transform those challenges into some powerful catalysts for lasting change."