The identity of a place is a mix of a few elements- namely physical, historical, and personal. But another key defining component to how a state is viewed both locally and abroad is its key industries.

Unlike some Australian states that are dominated by mining or finance alone, South Australia has built a reputation around advanced manufacturing, food and wine, defence, renewable energy, and culture-driven industries. These industries don’t just drive the economy — they strongly influence how the state sees itself and how it is perceived nationally and globally.

As stated in the 2025 More Than An Industry report from the Department of Primary Industries and Regions, “South Australia’s food, wine, and agribusiness sector is more than an industry — it’s part of our identity, shaping how we live, connect, and thrive, and it sustains our lives.”

Food and wine: The “Food Bowl” identity

Much of South Australia’s identity and pride is steeped in wine and agriculture industries, with our reputation internationally associated with premium products thanks to the fertile land as part of the Murray Basin Food Bowl. Key regions like the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley have made SA synonymous with high-quality wine, particularly Shiraz.

This sector shapes our identity as a place with a reputation for craftsmanship and premium quality, strong values around supporting and shopping local, and as a ‘producer’ state.

Through our years of research with Brand SA, we have found that locals who value local producers and produce often seeking it out where they can. As Jessica Douglas, Manager of Brand SA, says:

“We learned from the research (but I think we knew already!) that South Australians are typically proud and parochial consumers who want to look after local people and support our own community. Knowing that this is important to them, being able to identify what is local is key to acting on that.”

Defence and advanced manufacturing: The “Nation Builder” identity

After the collapse of the car manufacturing industry with the shuttering of Holden in 2017, South Australia has rebranded into the country’s leading defence manufacturing hub. The Osborne Naval Shipyard near Adelaide is central to naval shipbuilding, including submarine and frigate programs. Adelaide will play a major role in the AUKUS submarine program, with a $30 billion+ shipyard being built at Osborne to construct SSN-AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines. The project is set to create 4,000-5,500 direct jobs, with major construction underway to deliver the first Adelaide-built submarine by the early 2040s.

This industry contributes to an identity built around high-skill technical work, national strategic importance, innovation, and industrial capability. It also demonstrates South Australia remains resilient and is able to reinvent itself in the face of disaster (automotive crash).

Mining and Resources: The “Quiet Economic Engine”

While less central to our public identity than, say, Western Australia, mining is still one of SA’s most economically significant industries. Major operations like Olympic Dam produce copper, uranium, gold, and silver, while Coober Pedy is known as the opal capital of the world.

This shapes our identity through history, remote/outback culture and tourism, resource security (all the more important in the face of the current fuel crisis), and regional infrastructure. Increasingly, critical minerals for batteries and clean energy are positioning South Australia as one face of the global energy transition.

Renewable Energy: The “Future-Focused” identity

Nationally, South Australia is often viewed as a testing ground for Australia’s energy future, and on a larger scale has become a global example of rapid renewable energy adoption.

We currently generate over 70% of our electricity from wind and solar, with targets to reach 100% net renewable energy by 2027 and 500% by 2050.

This contributes to an identity of progressive policy and action, innovation, environmental leadership, and agility in response to growing concerns about climate change.

Education, research, and space: The “Innovation State”

Adelaide is also known for our research institutions, innovation precinct Lot Fourteen, and the Australian Space Agency, which have helped create a strong knowledge economy in the state. Adelaide’s universities and research institutions have helped create a strong knowledge economy. In an age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), being on the front foot of space technology, cybersecurity, and medical research uniquely positions SA as a state ready for the future.

Leveraging this reputation is _SOUTHSTART, a festival of innovation, ideas and inspiration designed to bring startups from around the country (and world) to meet, network and learn. Organisers of _SOUTHSTART have always maintained that South Australia is the perfect destination for this festival, due to the state’s dedication to innovation.

Danielle Seymour, Director at _SOUTHSTART states;

“We’ve really found that there’s a great… even proximity of location, networks, culture, and hospitality – all of these really broad elements that make South Australia unique – have been quite conducive to creating that vibrant atmosphere when people come to participate in _SOUTHSTART.”

Arts, festivals, and culture: The “Festival State” Identity

Thanks to the likes of past Premier Don Dunstan, South Australia — especially Adelaide — is strongly associated with arts and festivals – earning the moniker, ‘the festival state’. Host to many major cultural events in the country, including Adelaide Fringe, WOMADelaide, Adelaide Festival, and Cabaret Festival (to name just a fraction), the city’s accessible grid layout and regional activations make it the perfect location for world-class events.

These contribute to a state identity centred on creativity, cultural openness, liveability, and community-oriented events.

Justyna Jochym, Chief Executive of Festival City Adelaide, the industry body for South Australia’s major arts and cultural festivals, says that festivals are about community building.

“Festivals are about community, and I think the fact that we have such a unique concentration of the festivals and events that we do have in the state is really emblematic of the strength of our communities and how we want to use festivals for community building and community connection.”

These industries all combine to create a South Australian identity that is often characterised as innovative but understated, skilled rather than showy, sustainability-oriented, community-focused, and creative. They represent a state that isn’t afraid to experiment, and to evolve — whether in renewable energy, defence transformation, or cultural programming — while maintaining strong ties to agriculture, regional heritage, and craftsmanship.

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We design mixed-method explorations of people and culture beyond the category, uncovering the patterns, tensions and shifts shaping behaviour to inform strategy, inspire innovation and enable confident decisions. Our studio model brings together the right mix of thinkers, researchers and specialists for each exploration.

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