A story through time on Yorke Peninsula water tank

A striking new mural has brought SA Water’s Wool Bay water tank and nearby shed to life, with the artwork highlighting the importance of the local Narungga culture and connecting the region’s history to present day.

Artist Sam Brooks mentored Aboriginal artist, Harley Hall, to transform the two structures into a timeline that depicts the power of the landscape over time, highlighting agricultural scenes, the natural elements and iconic local historical sites.

SA Water’s Acting Senior Manager of Brand, Communications and Media Kellie McDonald said the mural is a welcome addition to SA Water’s growing network of art on infrastructure, and has already sparked some interest, with locals and visitors stopping to admire it.

“Sam and Harley are talented artists and we’re very proud to display this incredible mural they’ve created in Wool Bay for the whole community to enjoy,” Kellie said.

“Harley’s contribution to the design showcases the connection between all things in nature, incorporating local plants and animals, as well as culturally significant artefacts and symbols.

“As part of this project, local artist Rachelle Plazeriano from The Pines, along with teenager Gary Nowlan of Marion Bay were also provided with the opportunity to learn about large-scale mural painting, with additional help from artist Mark Harding, working alongside Sam to create this extraordinary work.

Sam said the team at Yorke Peninsula Council and SA Water were generous with their time, effort and commitment to making this mural a success.

“I decided to connect the past to present by having the image flow continuously from one structure to the next. This way, the past and the present are separated, but also linear, if you view it from the right angle,” Sam said.

“Working with SA Water and having them really welcome the artistic process is such a great thing for not only Yorke Peninsula but Australian tourism in general,” Sam said.

“This design process was a solid 16 months of working alongside various cultural groups, Aboriginal Elders, Narrunga Nations and Yorke Peninsula local committees. Collaborating with the community was such a wonderful experience, the young artists can walk away from the mentorship with new skills and a solid base from which they can build their own career.

“Getting to paint on an active water tank meant that I also learnt a lot about water management and was really intrigued to see how hands-on the process of supplying a town with water really is.

"In the end, we struck a great balance between so many diverse perspectives and I think there’s something for everyone to recognise their own culture and identity within the work.”

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