Murray Bridge’s pump station beauty takes shape

More than 7,000 native Australian plants are thriving at SA Water's wastewater pump station in Murray Bridge, as the Jervois Road site develops into a cultural space for the community to enjoy, since opening in late 2020.

Named 'Nankeri tapatawangk' – the Ngarrindjeri name meaning 'place of good water' – the landscaping and artwork design of the pump station was brought to life together with Aboriginal architect and visual artist Paul Herzich, as part of the utility's $52 million dollar upgrade to the local wastewater network, which also included construction of a new wastewater treatment facility.

SA Water Vegetation Specialist Shaun Kennedy said the community space has really taken shape since planting at the two-hectare site took place in 2020.

"Countless shrubs and groundcover plants are filling out the area, and taller vegetation has grown immensely," Shaun said.

"Strategically placed native grasses have created an almost rhythmic pattern in between the raised garden beds, that also provides a visual representation of the outstretched features of a bird's wing.

"Not only can this native grass meadow be easily maintained, but it also provides an attractive space for insects and birds, reminiscent to the Mallee-topped sand dunes still in the region today.

"The 40 native plants we chose for this site, such as River Mint, Mallee Wattle, Flagrant Saltbush and Weaver's Sedge, are not just native to South Australia, but specifically to this Murraylands region, so are well suited to the normally hot and dry conditions experienced in the area.

"For the community to see these native species flourish at the pump station site helps demonstrate the plants can also be a great choice for backyard gardeners to consider at their own homes.

"The beauty of many of the native plant species growing here is their conduciveness to pruning. Together with the Rural City of Murray Bridge, we're in the process of shaping the saltbush species for example, to further enhance their appearance.

Headlined by two large mosaic-covered sculptures of ‘Kungari nga:tadi’ – black swan eggs – the site includes an interpretive walking trail around the pump station that depicts several important water sites within the Ngarrindjeri Country area.

The site, which connects to the region's Murray-Coorong Trail, also leads to two stormwater basins which as designed, are successfully filling with rainwater runoff from the pump station roof, providing irrigation support to lush wetland vegetation.

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