ABC Heywire


Our department and the RDA network are long-time supporters of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s youth program ABC Heywire and Trailblazers.
This program provides influential national platforms to share the stories and ideas of young regional, rural and remote Australians.
During the past 25 years, we’ve helped share more than 12,200 stories.
RDA committees have opportunities to connect with their regional winners and to help these young change-makers realise their most powerful ideas for making regional Australia a better place to live.
This partnership with ABC also strongly aligns with many of the RDAs’ key priorities which they have identified will benefit the economic future of their region. These priorities include:
- Skills and ready workforce
- supporting Indigenous leadership
- education, training and jobs pathways
- building future resilience
- supporting youth and community capacity building
- population attraction and liveability
- incubator and accelerator programs.
The 2024 ABC Heywire competition is now open, for all young Australians living in regional, rural and remote communities.
To learn more about the competition and the winners, go to:
For more information and details on RDAs and their key regional priorities, go to RDA what we do.

Our Voice presenting at the 2023 ABC Heywire Summit, Australian Parliament House. (Image courtesy ABC Heywire)

2023 Trailblazers at a speed networking event with departmental staff. (Image courtesy ABC Heywire)

ABC Landline presenter Pip Courtney, RDA Southern Inland CEO Carisa Wells and ABC Manager Impact Dan Hirst at 2023 Trailblazers presentation. (Image courtesy ABC Heywire)

At 2023 ABC Heywire Summit a presentation by Our Voice. (Image courtesy ABC Heywire)

2023 Heywire winner – Annie from Bombala with the Hon Kristy McBain MP. (Image courtesy ABC Heywire)

(Image courtesy ABC Heywire)