Kelvin water pump station site for mural imagining

The structure has been the victim of graffiti and is nestled among wild mustard weeds and Paterson's curse on the way to Kelvin, near Cohens Bridge, but Gunnible Landcare members believe a series of murals could transform it into a local landmark and draw tourists to town.

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The volunteer group has been trying to organise a meeting with Gunnedah Shire Council to find out if the station can be given a new lease of life by depicting significant scenes of rural life in the shire.

The landcare members see it as a blank canvas and have countless ideas of what the eight sides could feature, including crops, the Kelvin hills and native animals.

Member, Tony Bernays, said the area boasted "beautiful scenery" so there was plenty of inspiration to draw on.

The group would like to apply for funding for the project and get local artists on board.

The station is on O'Keefe Avenue on the edge of Gunnedah and is a stone's throw from the Namoi River where many caravanners and locals pull up. It is a particularly popular spot during AgQuip.

It is this area that Gunnible takes pride in maintaining, planting trees, mowing, and collecting rubbish.

The topic of the derelic building was raised at a landcare meeting a few years ago but didn't gain any traction.

Members revisited the topic at a recent meeting because the riverside area is becoming increasingly popular and secretary Wendy Parker said the majority of the members drive past the pump station regularly so "it's on their minds".

"We're trying to get moving," she said.

"It's part of Gunnedah's history, so it should be preserved."

While there is space to pull off the road to see the station if it is painted, the current conditions do present another issue.

The members said for years they had witnessed drivers coming over the bridge do U-turns over the double white lines on the Kelvin side so they can see the river.

Gunnible chair Margaret Hood said it was "dangerous" and an ongoing problem. Incidents increase when the river is up because locals drive over the bridge to "stickybeak".

The bridge is narrow and visibility is also a problem, adding to the risk.

The group has raised the problem in casual conversation with council staff but will organise to report the issue to council formally in future.

In the meantime, Gunnible is keen to plant more trees on to continue existing koala corridors from the river but Mr Bernays has once again missed out on funding for his property on Blue Vale Road.

Mr Bernays has already planted trees on the property to provide koalas with shelter and safety from cattle and dogs, but he says it's not a cheap exercise.

"Anyone can plant trees, but you've got to keep watering them and weeding them," he said.