A Wavell Heights artwork titled Morning of the Cockatoos has turned a traffic signal box at the corner of Edinburgh Castle Road and Pfingst Road into a depiction of local wildlife, recreation and history.
Local Experiences Shape the Wavell Heights Artwork
Alana Lucko created and named Morning of the Cockatoos, which was produced in May 2026. Ella Dillon and Violet Lucko were listed as additional participants, while Timothy Lucko supervised the project. Kedron State School was the organisation connected with the work.
Each part of the design represents something linked to Alana’s local experiences. The rainbow represents Kedron Brook and its bikeway, while the cockatoos are birds she sees during her morning swims. Bicycles refer to riding with friends, and strawberries represent picking fruit close to home.
The artwork also includes a farmer’s hat acknowledging the area’s agricultural history. A chicken was included in recognition of the many Kedron residents who keep chickens.
The completed traffic signal box is identified as B0331 and stands at the Wavell Heights intersection.
Part of the Artforce Brisbane Program
The Wavell Heights artwork forms part of Artforce Brisbane, a community art program that allows residents to paint original designs on traffic signal boxes across the city.
The program began in 1999 and has involved more than 5,000 volunteers, who have painted more than 1,200 boxes. Participation is open to Brisbane residents of different ages, abilities and backgrounds.
Traffic signal boxes contain the electronic controls for traffic lights and are positioned at signalised intersections and crossings. Brisbane City Council owns and manages more than 1,000 of the boxes.
As cabinets are replaced and intersections are upgraded, new painting locations become available. Around 80 Artforce painting opportunities are offered each year across Brisbane, including traffic signal boxes and a small number of Energex padmount transformers.
Artforce Brisbane uses the boxes to display artworks connected with suburban characters, cultures, histories and landmarks. Collectively, the painted sites create an outdoor gallery visible from roads across Brisbane and present different community perspectives in public spaces.
Residents interested in painting a traffic signal box can register through Artforce Brisbane.
Published 22-July-2026
