Pump station goes from drab to fab with new mural

A water pump station in Lenswood has transformed into a colourful public artwork, as SA Water unveils its latest Art on Infrastructure project.

The 62-square-metre hand-painted mural on Lobethal Road by Ella Germein, a celebrated South Australian musician and accomplished public artist, has turned the pump station into a vibrant landmark that celebrates the character and natural beauty of the Adelaide Hills.

Ella’s 15.5-metre wide by 4-metre high design wraps two walls facing the road and features two yellow-tailed black cockatoos perched on a branch overlooking water, with 3 Scarlet Robins hovering above, framed by native grasses and Ixodia daisies – painted by young local resident Florence – flowering along the water’s edge.

The imagery connects flora and fauna native to the Lenswood and broader Adelaide Hills region with the essential role water plays in the community.

SA Water Manager of Brand and Community Connection Kellie McDonald said the project demonstrates how infrastructure can become something the community connects with, rather than simply passes by.

“Our Art on Infrastructure program is about more than just aesthetics, it’s about turning functional assets into meaningful landmarks that reflect local landscapes, wildlife and community pride,” Kellie said.

“This mural has transformed a pump station into a vibrant piece of public art that feels unmistakably at home in Lenswood and the wider Adelaide Hills.”

The pump station, built in 1964, plays a key role in supplying safe, clean drinking water to the Lenswood area.

Known for her expressive style and strong use of colour, artist Ella has delivered public artworks across South Australia, often working closely with communities to reflect a shared sense of place.

Her Lenswood mural draws on native animal and plant species familiar to the region, inviting locals and visitors to pause, reflect and reconnect with the environment around them.

“The vision for this mural was to create something eye-catching, while remaining meaningful to the local area, celebrating the beauty of the native flora and fauna,” Ella said.

“I worked closely with members of the community to understand what they wanted to see and the wall to represent.

“We ended up with the final design being a beautiful tranquil scene featuring two local yellow-tailed black cockatoos overlooking a water catchment, surrounded by gum trees and the rolling hills of the region.”

The Lenswood mural joins a growing list of Art on Infrastructure projects across South Australia where SA Water has partnered with local groups and artists to reimagine pipelines, pump stations and other assets as community-focused artworks.

To see more of these transformations, check out the interactive map online here.