Heywire is...

young regional Australians telling it like it is and making a difference

2017 ABC Heywire Winners Announced

2017 ABC Heywire Winners Announced

Heywire winner Yongyan Xia

Heywire winners paint picture of pain, pride and progress in rural and regional Australia

Heywire winner Kyle Reinke

Why You Should Enter

Enter your story in the Heywire competition to be part of something big.

Be heard on the ABC!

Heywire winners get to work with ABC producers to have their story featured on the ABC.

About the competition

Win a trip to the Heywire Summit!

Score an all-expenses-paid-trip to the Heywire Regional Youth Summit in Canberra.

About the summit

Make a
difference!

The ideas that winners develop at the Heywire Summit become a reality through our grants program.

About grants and projects

ENTER NOW

Heywire Winners

Ranim Alkharabeh

Australia:SA:Mount Gambier 5290

Leaving the war in Syria for a beautiful life in Australia.

Regan Austin

Australia:WA:Manjimup 6258

How riding a "kids toy" changed my life.

Zoe Barnes

Australia:QLD:Mackay 4740

Giving back to my community was my way out of depression.

Sam Baxter

Australia:WA:Albany 6330

I wonder what I'd be like if I hadn't spent the holidays in the Bay.

Navneet Bhatha

Australia:VIC:Swan Hill 3585

Standing up against racism.

Josephine Bond

Australia:VIC:Horsham 3400

The wind change saved many homes from the fire... but it destroyed ours.

Cristella Campbell

Australia:NT:Borroloola 0854

Thank you Nana for teaching me about language and culture.

Raikiesha Castors

Australia:QLD:Toowoomba 4350

Going to boarding school has made me two-ways strong.

Emiley Cody

Australia:VIC:Ross Creek 3351

Moments like these are why my family are farmers.

Breanna Cook

Australia:QLD:Monto 4630

No restraints mean my horse and I share a unique bond.

Jamilla Dempsey

Australia:NSW:Austinmer 2515

By dealing with my own mental health illness I've managed to help others.

Ashley Eadon

Australia:VIC:Bendigo 3550

Dad's community spirit has given us our family so much.

Mandi Edwards

Australia:QLD:Emerald 4720

Choosing to start a family at 17 years of age is not a cliché.

Brian Edwards

Australia:NSW:Broken Hill 2880

Volunteering as a first aider was one the best decisions I have ever made.

Kane Goldsworthy

Australia:SA:Port Neill 5604

Finding surprising friendships in a seaside town of retirees.

Molly Hunt

Australia:WA:Wyndham 6740

Taking the leap from a remote community to boarding school.

Brooke Farrelly

Australia:TAS:Penguin 7316

I was Tasmania's first junior drag racer.

Ben Grace

Australia:QLD:Cairns 4870

My identity was forged by exploring the wilderness of the Far North.

Bella Joseland

Australia:QLD:Yaraka 4702

After years of drought, the rain brings so much happiness and hope.

Natasha Leedham

Australia:SA:Renmark 5341

Country cricket is for everyone, even scared girls like me.

Krystin Mance

Australia:SA:Port Pirie 5540

An upgrade to the local drive-in theatre showed me the true spirit of Coober Pedy.

Sheetal Mangal

Australia:ACT:Canberra 2600

Home is the people you love.

Kieran Martin

Australia:NT:Alice Springs 0870

I'm going to make my grandpa proud and overcome life's challenges.

Connor May

Australia:NSW:Merimbula 2548

I used to dream of flying, now I dream about being a pilot.

Mikayla Mayoh

Australia:QLD:Townsville 4810

My cousin's death changed my perspective on Ice.

Georgie McKelvie

Australia:NSW:Temora 2666

The difference between country bumpkins and city slickers.

Daroo Morris

Australia:NSW:Taree 2430

No matter how hard life is, if you have one person to help ... you can achieve anything.

Caitlin Muddle

Australia:NSW:Dungog 2420

Hopefully the end of my family's struggle will be the beginning of another family's happiness.

Mitchell Pitman

Australia:NSW:Leeville 2470

Despite my disability, school has helped make me who I am today.

Kyle Reinke

Australia:WA:Lancelin 6044

Why don't we support kangaroo shooters more?

Dominic Rheinberger

Australia:TAS:Hobart 7000

How I overcame my addiction to graffiti.

Leah Robins

Australia:NSW:Dubbo 2830

For Grandpa, sun safety wasn't an issue but for me it's second nature.

Lauren Shin Carlson

Australia:VIC:Sale 3850

As a Korean-Australian I'm lucky to have two cultures.

Kate Skinner

Australia:QLD:Mountain Creek 4557

Surf lifesavers are meant to help others, but that day we needed help.

Eman Soliman

Australia:VIC:Shepparton 3630

I am proud to wear a hijab.

Nicholas Stacey

Australia:NSW:Tamworth 2340

My town is special, it just took me a while to notice.

Luke Stevens

Australia:WA:Kalgoorlie 6430

The day we lost a family friend in a bushfire.

Caitlin Tippett

Australia:WA:Newman 6753

I arrived at Jigalong knowing nothing about my ancestors or culture.

Oliver Wood

Australia:TAS:Launceston 7250

I am transgender.

Claire Wright

Australia:NT:Tennant Creek 0860

Caring for Mum as multiple sclerosis takes hold.

Yongyan Xia

Australia:NSW:Grenfell 2810

I don't want to lose the only connection between me and China.

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