Splash of Colour for Bicton foreshore

Minister for Water Simone McGurk, Bicton Primary School Year 4s, artist Blake Poole, Water Corp Partnership and Education Lead Karen Kagi

• Fremantle artist brings street style to Water Corporation pump station
• Bicton students work with artist to tell their local water story
• Artworks unveiled as part of National Water Week, which begins today

A Water Corporation pump station overlooking the Swan River has received a colourful makeover, with an eye-catching mural created by a local artist and school children.

Minister for Water Simone McGurk unveiled the vibrant artworks, depicting Bicton landmarks and local wildlife, on the first day of National Water Week.

The walls of the previously green pump station feature the Bicton Baths, yacht club and jetty, as well as a local cormorant watching over the river.

Renowned Fremantle street artist Blake Poole worked with Year 4 Bicton Primary School students on the composition of the artworks, focussing on the use of lines and shapes to bring life and colour to the pump station and power boxes. The final work tells the story of the Swan River meeting the land.

Water Corporation partnered with the City of Melville on the project as part of its program to beautify assets along the riverfront near Bicton Baths Reserve.

Since 2017, more than 70 Water Corporation water and wastewater assets across Western Australia have been given a colourful makeover through Water Corporation's Splash of Colour program. Each project reflects an aspect of the role of water in our lives.

The Splash of Colour program is part of the Cook Government's Kep Katitjin-Gabi Kaadadjan (Waterwise Perth Action Plan 2) which aims to establish Boorloo (Perth) and Bindjareb (Peel) as leading waterwise cities by 2030.

Under the plan, Water Corporation is working with local communities to strengthen community connection to local water stories and the environment.

For more information, visit https://www.watercorporation.com.au/About-us/In-the-community/Splash-of-Colour

Comments attributed to Water Minister Simone McGurk:

"Since 2017, Water Corporation has been working with community organisations, local governments, children and artists throughout Western Australia to bring their water stories to life on Water Corporation assets.

"So far, more than 70 assets from Albany to Broome have been transformed into vibrant works of art that remind us how water plays an important role in our lives every day.

"It's great to see the City of Melville continuing to invest in the amenity of Bicton foreshore, and this is a striking artwork that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

"Best of all, having local school children involved in the project helps them learn about lifelong waterwise behaviours that they can share with their families.

"The theme of National Water Week is 'united by water', and this incredible artwork shows how the river and the land unite."

Comments attributed to Bicton MLA Lisa O'Malley:

"I'm immensely impressed by the artistic talent of Bicton Primary School students who helped create such a vibrant and colourful artwork for our whole community to enjoy.

"With summer just around the corner, I know local families and river users will love seeing this splash of colour on this local Bicton landmark.

"Here in Bicton, we're so lucky to live along or nearby the Swan River and I have no doubt the artwork by Blake and the local students will be admired by many for years to come."

Water Minister Simone McGurk, artist Blake Poole, Bicton Primary visual arts specialist Lisa Hill, Bicton MLA Lisa Miller, with two of the Year 4s who helped inspire the design