Donald’s booming industrial precinct has caught the eye of Hindmarsh Shire Council, with Mayor Ron Ismay and five councillors touring the estate last week, alongside Economic Development Manager Mark Fletcher.
The group, led by Ismay – a respected businessman from Rainbow – was on a fact-finding mission to explore how Donald’s model of small business growth could be replicated in Hindmarsh.
From plumbing to pastries, the delegation visited a diverse lineup of enterprises, including Goldy’s Patch, SMD Automotive, Pacific Fuels, and B&B Harvesting. But it was the newly completed Kooka’s Country Cookies factory and the towering big Kookaburra sculpture that stole the show.
“This is the kind of development that happens when council, community, and business work together,” Mayor Ismay said, praising the collaborative spirit behind Donald’s success.
The visit wrapped up with a nostalgic stop at the original Kooka’s outlet, where the councillors stocked up on sweet souvenirs for the road home.
Graeme Harris, of Donald 2000, co-ordinated the tour, which left Hindmarsh officials inspired and eager to bring similar energy to their own backyard.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 9 September 2025.
