Pam the Bird

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Pam The Bird in West Melbourne in March 2025

Pam the Bird is a graffiti tag that has appeared widely throughout Melbourne since 2023. A cartoon bird, Pam the Bird has gained widespread fame for its abundance and high-profile locations, from buildings and freeway signs to heritage-listed sites such as Flinders Street railway station and the Clifton Hill Shot Tower. After a police investigation that began in January 2024, the tag's alleged creator and an accomplice were arrested in January 2025. A court case is ongoing.

Early use

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In September 2022, 18-year-old Jack Gibson-Burrell was arrested on the Gold Coast, Queensland, after he spray painted a rail worker in the face at Park Road railway station. The man had caught Gibson-Burrell spray painting a large bird at Park Road railway station. Gibson-Burrell was charged with 24 offences and placed on two-year probation.[1] When queried by reporters outside court, he squawked like a bird.[2] Journalists retroactively described Gibson-Burrell's tag as an instance of "Pam the Bird".[2][3]

Rise to prominence

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Reports of Pam the Bird in Melbourne date back to at least 2023.[a] That year, the graffiti tag became well-known as a common sight not just along train lines and tram routes, but also on the trains themselves.[2][5] It also appeared in other prominent locations, such as on the back of road signs along the West Gate Freeway. The Herald Sun reported that social media pages had emerged following Pam the Bird. Some videos depicted graffiti artists performing dangerous stunts to spray paint the bird, including by hanging off a bridge.[2] The Instagram account @goodbirdart, which is ostensibly run by a third party, regularly posts behind-the-scenes Pam the Bird content,[3] and has amassed over 80,000 followers.[6]

In the later months of 2024, Pam the Bird's range expanded out of Melbourne's west.[7] It received media attention following an incident on 10 July 2024 in which a clock tower at Flinders Street railway station near Elizabeth Street was spray painted with graffiti.[8][9] Several other high-profile graffiti incidents attributed to Pam the Bird attracted news attention, including on the Novotel hotel in the inner Melbourne suburb of South Wharf on 20 January 2025, the Cheese Stick sculpture over the CityLink tollway, the offices of the Nine Network in Docklands, the Uncle Tobys silo in West Footscray, the Clifton Hill Shot Tower, Comeng and HCMT train carriages operated on the Melbourne suburban rail network.[9][10][11] Police stated that Pam the Bird made heavy use of abseiling to conduct graffiti activities.[12]

Description of tag

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Three variations of Pam The Bird under a bridge in West Melbourne

Pam the Bird is a graffiti tag consisting of a side view of a cartoon bird. In court, Victoria Police Senior Constable Scott Nicholls said, "We typically see this bird graffiti has a sharp triangle pointed beak with a line that separates the upper and lower portion of the beak that approximately extends three quarters away from the tip". Pam the Bird varies widely: it may be coloured, embellished, or a simple outline. It is often accompanied by text, including "MP.", which The Age described as the name of a graffiti crew, and 'Srock', a similarly prolific name tag.[7][3][13]

Possible identity and criminal cases

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In January 2024, Victoria Police began an investigation into Pam the Bird, led by Senior Constable Scott Nicholls.[10][7] A year later, on 30 January 2025, police arrested Jack Gibson-Burrell, a 21-year-old Yarraville resident who they allege is Pam the Bird's sole creator. Matthew Raoul White, a 39-year-old alleged accomplice, was also arrested, with police alleging he is behind the 'Srock' tag often seen alongside Pam the Bird.[10][13] The year-long investigation found evidence that people had been making suspicious visits to Gibson-Burrell's home over a period of months. CCTV footage of the Novotel break-in added to police suspicions regarding Gibson-Burrell as the sole graffiti tagger.[6]

Gibson-Burrell was charged with 50 offences including criminal damage and shop theft, and a subsequent charge of intentionally causing injury was added following allegations Gibson-Burrell stabbed a man using a kitchen knife in 2024.[14][6] Police also sought government assistance with organising a Federal Bureau of Investigation search warrant of Instagram with the goal of identifying Gibson-Burrell as the owner of @goodbirdart.[6] White, the owner of the graffiti paint shop Bodega, located in the suburb of Abbotsford, was charged with a total of 17 offences, including criminal damage.[15] Furthermore, White also had an extensive criminal record for incidents regarding criminal damage and trespass, which was described as an 'international' vandalism spree where several train carriages in San Francisco, New York and Perth were tagged.[16]

On 25 February 2025, Gibson-Burrell attended Melbourne Magistrates' Court with the goal of being released on bail, having previously been on bail in 2023.[17] His bail application was approved on 27 February 2025, with conditions including a requirement to live with his grandmother in East Geelong, abiding by a night-time curfew, not being in possession of equipment related to graffiti or abseiling, and an AU$30,000 surety paid by friend Finlay Dale.[17]

Public reception

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The Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne, Nicholas Reece, has condemned Pam the Bird, remarking he "ain't no Banksy" and sending a warning to all potential taggers that they will be held responsible for their work.[18][19]

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Notes

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  1. ^ In 2025, a Nine News report said it had appeared since 2021 without further clarification.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Barnsley, Warren (30 September 2022). "Gold Coast graffiti artist sentenced for spray painting rail worker's face". Seven News. Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Sirianos, Athios; Buttler, Mark (7 December 2023). "Jack Gibson-Burrell will face court later this year after allegedly spraying 'Pam the bird' inside the new city rail loop". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Cowie, Tom (20 September 2024). "Once you see it, it's everywhere: The story behind Melbourne's mysterious 'Pam the bird' graffiti". The Age. Archived from the original on 3 March 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  4. ^ Price, Julian (2025). "Pam the Bird: Art or pure vandalism?". Nine News. Archived from the original on 1 February 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  5. ^ McNeill, Sam (3 November 2023). "Melbourne's street art situationship". upstart. Archived from the original on 27 October 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d Pearson, Erin (25 February 2025). "Pam the Bird accused asks for bail to work in a paint company". The Age. Archived from the original on 25 February 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Krien, Anna (1 March 2025). "High flying bird". The Monthly. Archived from the original on 28 February 2025. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  8. ^ Magennis, Molly (11 July 2024). "Flinders Street Station clock tower on Elizabeth St vandalised". 7NEWS. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  9. ^ a b Rahaman Sarkar, Alisha (31 January 2025). "Police charge man suspected of leaving 'Pam the bird' graffiti on Melbourne landmarks". Independent. Archived from the original on 12 February 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Silva, Kristian (8 February 2025). "After soaring over Melbourne, has 'Pam the Bird' been grounded?". ABC News. Archived from the original on 25 February 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  11. ^ Sciberras, Allanah (31 January 2025). "Pam the Bird: The mysterious graffiti tag dotted across Melbourne landmarks". 9 News. Archived from the original on 26 February 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  12. ^ Silva, Kristian (31 January 2025). "Alleged creator of Melbourne's infamous 'Pam the Bird' graffiti behind bars". ABC News. Archived from the original on 28 February 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  13. ^ a b Meehan, Melissa (31 January 2025). "Alleged 'Pam the Bird', 'Srock' graffiti vandals busted". The New Daily. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  14. ^ Ore, Adeshola (4 February 2025). "Alleged creator of prolific 'Pam the Bird' graffiti in Melbourne has endangered the public, court told". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  15. ^ Beatty, Liam (5 February 2025). "Jack Gibson-Burrell: Alleged Pam the Bird artist denied bail". news.com.au. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  16. ^ "WA vandal admits US graffiti spree". PerthNow. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  17. ^ a b Ore, Adeshola (27 February 2025). "Man allegedly behind Melbourne's 'Pam the Bird' graffiti bailed to live with 'no nonsense' grandmother". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  18. ^ Hodge, Regan (23 January 2025). "Bird brains or brilliant: Who is behind Melbourne's Pam the Bird spam?". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  19. ^ Rosen, Laurence (19 February 2025). "Lord mayor sends 'really clear message' to wannabe graffiti vandals". 3AW. Archived from the original on 20 February 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.