The Resilient South is a collaborative initiative between four southern Adelaide councils to develop a regional climate change adaptation plan. The cities of Holdfast Bay, Marion, Mitcham and Onkaparinga cover 650 KM² including urban, peri-urban and rural zones. Over the next 50 years the region will face increased frequency of heatwaves and bushfires as well as coastal inundation.  It is home to over 340,000 people, or about 21% of South Australia's population.

How do you make your adaptation plan relevant in light of such diversity? Resilient South turned to the Model of Receptivity - a social sciences model that aims to identify a community's values to ensure that policies include both technical and social science responses. This means developing not just technical actions such as building a sea wall, but capacity building actions to increase the community's capacity to adapt to the climate challenges ahead.

A mapping tool was developed specifically for Resilient South to more accurately visualise how different issues interacted and how targeted adaptation actions could be implemented.

Project governance arrangements were put in place to ensure cross regional, cross sectoral and intergovernmental collaboration.

Finally, the project has drawn heavily on its Project Champions' knowledge and expertise throughout including to complete an integrated vulnerability assessment and adaptation action pathways out to 2070.

This presentation hopes to assist other practitioners understanding of how these tools, governance and engagement techniques benefited the project and where future improvements can be made.