Investing in a New Region is Easier When You Know the Right People
We are those people.
Navigating six councils, multiple government departments, planning approvals, site identification, workforce intelligence and stakeholder relationships takes time most investors don’t have and local knowledge most can’t access from the outside.
We’ve been working across this region for years. We know which doors to knock on, which conversations to have first, and how to move things forward without the delays that kill regional investment decisions.
And we work with both sides of the investment equation – helping new investors find their footing in this region, and helping established regional businesses find new growth opportunities and access new markets.
A Message from our Chair
[PLACEHOLDER – Chair message to be supplied by RDA AHFKI board. Approximately 100-150 words. Tone: warm, authoritative, personally committed to the region’s investment future. Should name one or two specific recent investment wins the Chair has been involved in or witnessed.]
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What We Do For Investors
From first conversation to long-term success.
Our investment support services cover every stage of the investment journey. Some are included as part of our role. Others – marked below – involve a fee-for-service or cost-sharing arrangement depending on the scope of work.
Access to our regional Investment Portal connecting investors with opportunities, projects and businesses in the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island. The portal brings together development-ready projects, current investment activity and the intelligence needed to assess opportunities quickly.
Access to a comprehensive, actively maintained database of grants and funding programs relevant to your investment. We identify which programs align with your project and what you’d need to qualify.
Direct introductions to the people who matter: investors already active in the region, ministers, local and state government decision-makers, planning authorities, collaborators and community leaders. One conversation with the right person at the right time changes everything.
We identify grant programs that align with your project and provide guidance through the application process, improving your chances of securing public co-investment alongside private capital.
We manage your relationships with local and state government – cutting through the complexity of dealing with multiple councils and departments so you’re always talking to the right person at the right time.
We take you on the ground. Site visits, introductions to local operators, council meetings, community briefings – structured around what your investment decision actually requires.
We draw on our knowledge of the region’s available land, commercial property, development sites and council priorities to identify sites that match your investment criteria.
We help you build the business case that gets your project funded, approved and supported – drawing on regional economic data, stakeholder intelligence and our relationships with decision-makers.
We guide you through South Australia’s planning system – ranked first in the nation – to make sure your application is positioned correctly and moves as quickly as the system allows.
For businesses already operating in the region, we help identify new growth directions, assess new market opportunities and provide the strategic guidance and regional insight that support sustained growth.
Independent economic impact modelling that demonstrates the regional value of your project – whether you need to strengthen a grant application, support a property valuation process, or make the case for government co-investment.
Economic impact analysis for tourism, hospitality and event-based investments, demonstrating visitor spend, employment and broader regional benefit.
Bespoke research into economic conditions, demographic profiles, workforce availability and market dynamics specific to your investment or growth opportunity.
Promotion, attendance and profile-building for your launch – connecting your business to the regional community and networks from day one.
We connect you to the broader ecosystem of investment support including InvestSA, the Department of State Development’s Manufacturing Unit, the Entrepreneur Program and Do Business with Australia.
The Region In Numbers
The fundamentals that underpin every investment decision here.
$b
Gross Regional Product and growing
+
Population, rising consistently since 2014
$b
Annual regional exports
+%
GRP growth in the most recent year measured
Investments We’ve Supported
A track record across sectors and sub-regions.
Hills & Coast Business Grant 2024
See how successful applicants for the 2024 Hills & Coast Business Grant used their funding to improve their manufacturing businesses.
Hills & Coast Business Grant 2023
Find out which local businesses benefitted from the Hills & Coast Business Grant 2023, and read the case study of one successful applicant.
Hills & Coast Business Grant 2022
Discover how the Hills & Coast Business Grant helped local manufacturing businesses level up their businesses. Read their case studies here.
The Cliffs Golf and Accommodation Precinct, Kangaroo Island
SA Water infrastructure investment unlocked a world-class golf and accommodation development on Kangaroo Island, with the potential to draw 20,000 new visitors to the island annually. RDA supported the infrastructure business case that made the project viable.
The Break Surf Park, Fleurieu Peninsula
A major surf and lifestyle destination drawing visitors from across Australia. RDA connected The Break with aligned investors through its Investment Portal and provided strategic support throughout the development process.
Fleurieu Milk Company
Strategic guidance and regional intelligence supporting Fleurieu Milk Company’s assessment of new growth opportunities and access to new markets – contributing to sustained growth and success in one of the region’s most recognised food businesses.
National Dairy Training Centre
A purpose-built training facility anchoring the region’s position in premium dairy production and workforce development.
Neutrog Biological Fertilisers
Support for one of Australia’s leading biological fertiliser manufacturers, based in Kangaroo Island and the Adelaide Hills region.
DefenceSA
Regional engagement with the defence industry supply chain, connecting local manufacturers to opportunities in Australia’s expanding defence sector.
Hills and Coast Business Grant – Manufacturing
More than $667,000 in matched investment unlocked for manufacturing businesses across the region, with corporate partners and total sector investment continuing to grow.
Salt at Elliot
$500,000 in grant funding secured
Milang Butter Factory
$400,000 in grant funding secured
Cactus and Kangaroo Island Seaview Motel
Economic impact modelling to support a grant application for accommodation redevelopment, plus regional data analysis for the property valuation process – and ongoing strategic support as the business continues to grow.
LCK Accommodation
Regional accommodation investment supported through connections and program guidance.
What Investors Say
More Support Available
Beyond RDA, there are additional programs and organisations to support your investment in this region.
InvestSA
The South Australian Government’s investment attraction agency. If your project is investment-ready, InvestSA provides a platform to connect with investors and government support across the state.
Entrepreneur Program
The Australian Government’s flagship business support program for growth-ready businesses and investors.
Do Business with Australia
Austrade’s platform connecting international investors and businesses with Australian opportunities.
Department of State Development
The SA Government’s economic development agency, with a dedicated Manufacturing Unit providing sector-specific support for industrial and advanced manufacturing investment.
Ready To Talk?
Tell us about your project and we’ll tell you what we can do to help it move forward. A confidential conversation costs nothing and usually reveals more than months of independent research.