Making the Invisible Visible: What is Groundwater?

Groundwater underpins communities, agriculture, industry, and ecosystems across New South Wales, yet it is largely invisible, highly technical, and often misunderstood. Prolonged droughts across NSW triggered a sharp increase in public concern, with a surge in people applying for bores, questioning their rights to access groundwater.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment faced the challenge by responding to heightened scrutiny and confusion by clearly explaining how groundwater systems work, how they are managed, and why regulation matters, without inflaming fear or misinformation. A flagship explainer animation was commissioned to bridge this gap, requiring scientific accuracy, policy clarity, and accessible storytelling.

I led the creative direction, illustration and motion design, developing a clear, calm visual narrative which translated complex technical and regulatory content into easily digestible public understanding. The work was strategically designed as both a long-form explainer which could also be cut-down (to shorter clips) and reformatted for social channels which extended reach and impact without duplicating effort.

Launched across the department’s website and social channels, the explainer established a clear, trusted public narrative. Its success led to the development of a six-part animation series, each addressing a core aspect of groundwater management within a consistent and easily digestible format.