A water feature, created for local Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos and other birds, now provides a vital water source this summer in the Cockatoo Food Garden at Goodwill Park, Atwell.
Hamilton Hill artist Melanie Maclou designed and manufactured the water feature that engages practical bird-friendly elements in a visually interesting way.
“Titled Germination, the artwork’s egg or seed-shaped form is symbolically life-giving but also highlights the plight of Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos whose main threat, apart from the loss of habitat, is the poaching of their eggs,” Ms Maclou said.
“A concave, double spiral-shaped basin on top of the exposed aggregate egg shape forms the birdbath and water station.
“The basin incorporates a rolled 32mm and 42mm textured stainless steel pipe to act as a high perch rail as Carnaby Black-Cockatoos like to perch near a water source before coming down to drink.”
City of Cockburn Environmental Officer Sophia Wright said the water feature itself cost $20,000, plus about $3,500 for plumbing and electrics.
In winter 2018, 300sqm of couch grass was dug out and replaced with more than 300 native seedlings and mature trees including macadamias and pecan - cockatoo favourites.
Harmony Primary School students, Bush Ranger Cadets from Emmanuel Catholic College, and volunteers from the Harvest Lakes Residents Association helped plant the Cockatoo Food Garden.
The Cockatoo Food Garden, in which the water feature sits, cost about $21,000.
The garden is designed to complement the ‘Native Bird Oasis’ project at Bibra Lake which was a joint project between the City of Cockburn and BirdLife Western Australia.
The Native Bird Oasis project also began last winter and involved the revegetation of 8,000sqm area of degraded banksia woodland on the eastern side of Bibra Lake for Carnaby’s and Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoos.
Ms Maclou has produced many public artworks for local government including the cities of Cockburn, Melville and Rockingham and the Town of East Fremantle.
A poem by Ms Maclou accompanies the Cockatoo Food Garden’s water feature:
Slumbering egg seed
Spirals through the passage of time
Basking in sunlight... warms
Bathing in moonlight... chills
Some water, a sigh, a push
And then, new life sprouts...
into the circle of life
Caption l-r: Sophia Wright (City of Cockburn Environmental Officer), Leanne Seredynski (HLRA), Pearl Kellar (Harmony Lakes Residents Association), Melinda Jones, Elaine Bennett (HLRA), Joel Jones (Harmony Primary School, front), Christine Groom (UWA bird researcher), Nika Harwood (Harmony Primary School, front), Jennifer Robinson (Harmony Primary School), Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett, Bob Kellar (Harmony Lakes Residents Association) with Mo, and Melanie Maclou (artist).