Engineering with a Creative Edge at Turners Road
While its engineering may be robust, the Turners Road Reservoir’s newly finished exterior now also stands as a bold visual celebration of water, nature, and creativity.
The mural was painted by local artist Joe McMenamin, a celebrated muralist with over 100 artworks across New Zealand, but this one he describes as his favourite to date. The 25-metre mural cleverly blends aesthetic expression with meaningful representation, showcasing the wetlands and wildlife integral to the district’s water story.
Joe utilised virtual reality technology to superimpose his design onto the reservoir before painting to ensure the final composition resonates from every angle. The design draws inspiration from the wetlands that form part of the district’s water treatment process and the largest of their kind in New Zealand. Native wetland plants and wildlife are woven throughout the artwork, reflecting the important role these ecosystems play alongside engineered infrastructure.
The colour palette is drawn from Manawatū District Council’s brand colours and features a kawakawa plant to represent the Kawakawa Road Industrial Precinct, where the reservoir is situated - a key growth area for Feilding. The flowing, rhythmic patterns are a signature element of Joe’s work, representing birdsongs and the movement of water through the landscape.
“What makes this project special is the story behind it,” Hamish Waugh, GM Infrastructure says. “It’s not just a surface, it’s part of an active system that supports the town.”
The mural demonstrates how practical infrastructure can also contribute to a sense of place, transforming a functional asset into something that sparks curiosity, pride, and connection.
The Turners Road Reservoir mural can be viewed along Turners Road in Feilding. You can view a timelapse video of the mural being completed here.
Learn more about Turners Road Reservoir here.
Turners Road Reservoir completed mural.