A new collaboration between WAI Wānaka and Chrissy Wickes is designed to “make the invisible visible”.

Chrissy has painted one of the powerboxes on McDougall Street with aquatic animals including macroinvertebrates - small, spineless invertebrates which play an important role in the aquatic ecosystem through nutrient cycling and pollutant detoxification.

“These species are directly impacted by stormwater drains flowing into our lakes, rivers, and waterways,” WAI Wānaka community activator and educator Franzi Heidtke said. 

“With the powerbox located opposite the Wānaka Community Hub, on a busy route for those coming from Queenstown, and close to Bullock Creek and Lake Wānaka, we felt it was the perfect spot to spark awareness.”

Artist Chrissy Wickes with the finished mural, created in collaboration with WAI Wānaka to highlight the importance of healthy waterways.

When WAI and Chrissy approached Aurora Energy separately about doing something with the power box, the company put them in touch.

They worked together to decide what each side of the powerbox would depict, and landed on the longfin eel, mayfly, stonefly, and the kōaro, also known as the climbing galaxias.

“Everything on that box is found in our lake,” Chrissy told the Wānaka App.

“The invertebrates are really key,” she said. 

“It’s really cool to do these teeny weeny little things that are insignificant in their appearance but very significant in their meaning and importance.”

The top of the box features one of WAI’s key messages, ‘drains are streams’, to drive awareness and action around looking after stormwater drains.

Chrissy put the finishing touches on the powerbox on Monday (December 8).

She said she loved bringing a burst of colour and meaning to an everyday streetside object.

“It reminds us that our lake is such a treasure.”

PHOTOS: WAI Wanaka