Two artists combine to transform Te Horo Beach toilet and changing room blocks

Wrap-around murals have brightened the Te Horo Beach toilet/changing room blocks. Photo / David Haxton

Two revamped seaside 1960s toilet/changing room blocks in Te Horo Beach feature eye-catching wrap-around artwork.

Artists Swiftmantis and Sean Duffell created the artworks early this year after the Friends of Te Horo Beach Residents Association and Waikanae Community Board deputy chair Michael Moore collated the themes and feedback from the community.

The artwork around the male and female toilet/changing room blocks features Kāpiti Island, native beach crab, kingfisher, dotterel, pukeko, native flora, and more.

Swiftmantis’ hyper-realistic style painted the native beach crab, kingfisher and rare NZ dotterel, found at Mangaone Lagoon, and Duffell’s graphic patternwork created the island, distant South Island, and more, in the background.

Moore said the artwork led to a lot of upgrade work by Kāpiti Coast District Council in and around the two blocks.

Work included interior painting, outdoor beach shower, concrete all-weather access path, rope barrier to keep vehicles off the surrounding grass area, new eaves, and a new macrocarpa picnic table facing towards the island.

“I’m delighted,” Moore said.

The murals have an environmental message. Photo / David Haxton

“The murals look fantastic and it has been a big transformation with all this additional work that the council has assisted with.”

He hoped the mural’s environmental themes and images would “inspire and ignite conversation and action along our coastal beachside community to think about threatened species, and what we can do collectively and individually”.

The revamp also brought the community together and would lead to other things, he said.

“There’s a planting programme that the Friends of Te Horo Beach Residents Association want to drive, and the group has also helped from Predator Free Te Horo Beach.

“And we have to look at more ways of preventing four-wheel drive vehicles crossing the Mangaone Stream.”

The stunning artwork costing $12,000 was funded by the council’s public arts fund as well as Waikanae Community Board.

There will be a public community opening Sunday March 3 at 3pm.