Picton Road pump station brought to life through striking public artwork

Those travelling past Bunbury Train Station will not be able to miss a striking public mural by local artist Luke O’Donohoe, which now adorns an everyday wastewater pump station on Picton Road.

The station was first brought to life by Mr O’Donohoe last year with a mural covering two sides of the building. His latest piece, covering the remaining walls, reflects the importance of water in our everyday lives.

Water Corporation Regional Manager John Janssen said in addition to transforming the building into a vibrant public artwork, the project also helped discourage graffiti.

“Luke created a fantastic mural across two sides of the pump station last year, and we soon noticed the painted walls were less prone to graffiti,” he said.

“We’re thrilled Luke has added to his previous work with a new piece, which is partly visible from Picton Road.

“Not only does the artwork look great, it reflects the community’s connection to water and hopefully prompts people to stop and think about the role of water in our everyday lives.”

The artwork is part of Water Corporation’s Splash of Colour program, which since 2017 has transformed more than 50 Water Corporation assets into vibrant public art installations.

“It’s all about adding value to the communities we live and work in, and not only reviving the asset but also contributing to the sense of vibrancy in the wider area,” Mr Janssen said.

Mr O’Donohoe said the design reflected the importance of water, and its connection to the community and environment.

“I have aimed to embody the spirit and value of conserving and managing our resources,” he said.

Splash of Colour was first trialled in the South West in 2017 and has since expanded as far north as Broome and south to Albany.

Track the progress of the program on social media by following #splashofcolourwa.