Protesters on a beach in Adelaide have found a rather eye-catching way of campaigning for toilet facilities in the area.

Twelve people, dressed in bowler hats and smart suits, kicked up a stink as they carried their own toilets down to the beach, placing them in a line, before dropping their trousers and sitting.

It remains to be seen whether the protesters' campaign will be successful, but their unique demonstration has inspired a local artist.

Andrew Baines, who came up with the idea of the protest, will paint the scene for an exhibition in January 2013, after taking photographs at the event on Sunday.

He said though that creating this sort of work was about more than just the aesthetics: "I think this is the job of an artist to take these issues to the wider community and let people talk about it."

The local council is currently consulting the community about the best place to build the toilets.