Gong: Graffiti artist’s work pops up in Queensland and Victoria

It started with hundreds of brazen, jaw-dropping tags across Sydney. Now detectives believe the city’s most notorious graffiti artist’s work may have spread into Queensland and Victoria.

Jarrad Harland, aka graffiti artist Gong, leaves the Downing Centre Local Court last Friday accompanied by family and his lawyer Zoe Whetham. Picture: Joanna Panagopoulos

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Police believe Sydney’s notorious graffiti criminal Gong is also responsible for a series of tags in two other states.

Gong, real name Jarrad Harland, was sentenced at Downing Centre Local Court last week for ‘tagging’ hundreds of buildings across Sydney.

In documents tendered to the court, detectives from the Surry Hills Police Area Command detailed how they built their case against the Caringbah man after an 18-month manhunt.

It’s believed the first clue police had to go on was a picture catching Gong in the act, leaving his mark on top of a sign at the entrance to the Eastern Distributor.

Gong caught in action on the Eastern Distrubutor

The next day CCTV cameras captured Harland taking drone footage of his work.

The agreed facts sheet, tendered as part of his sentencing, detailed how Harland “continued to push the bounds” as his notoriety grew and how his mark also began appearing on interstate properties.

“The tags have started to appear in Victoria and Queensland and the damage bill caused by the accused continues to rise exponentially,” court documents state.

Harland leaves court with his family and lawyer. Picture: Joanna Panagopoulos

Police estimated a total cost of the damage to be up to $38,536.

Victoria Police refused to comment when asked about the case last year.

After pleading guilty to 13 counts of intentionally marking buildings last Friday, Harland was fined $6000, which was converted into 200 hours of graffiti clean-up work.

He was also placed on a 12 month community corrections order after the court heard his death-defying tags were “an escape” from the issues he was having at the time of his spree.

As his notoriety increased, so did the level of his tags.

Gong's work on the Telstra Exchange building in Chatswood.

His lawyer Zoe Whetham told the court Harland has now reformed his ways and will continue on a Salvation Army rehabilitation program after securing a job as a sign maker.

Hundreds of his tags began popping up across Sydney in 2018, from Westfields in Bondi Junction and Miranda to a train carriage at Lidcombe, earning him a legion of followers in some corners of the internet.

Police submitted this is what spurred him onto more dangerous feats, including brazen works on buildings hundreds of feet tall.

The tag on a train at Lidcombe, which Sydney trains was seeking $842 or restitution for.

“The accused gained notoriety online, showcasing these tags online via Instagram and other online forums,” court documents state.

“With the increased following the accused has continued to push the bounds by making larger murals, defacing buildings and committing break and enter offences to access new and daring locations.

“The accused has show no remorse.”

The break and enter offences were among the almost 30 charges Harland was initially facing after his arrest last year, but they were later withdrawn by NSW Police.

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