Men charged over baffling and iconic Pam the Bird graffiti in Melbourne

Police have charged a man in his 20s for a second time in connection to a highly recognisable but mysterious graffiti image across Melbourne.

Police have seized abseiling equipment and charged men allegedly responsible for a graffiti image that has been plastered across Melbourne in seemingly impossible spots.

The “Pam the Bird” image has been painted on landmarks, trains, signs, buildings and walls across Melbourne.

Court records show one of the men due in court in Friday has previously been charged in connection with the bird.

A towering clock face above Flinders Street Station was tagged in July, garnering much commentary online.

On January 20, a large hotel in South Wharf was painted. An Instagram page purported to be run by the people responsible has nearly 70,000 followers.

A Pam the Bird in Geelong.

On Friday morning, police announced a 21-year-old man had been charged with more than 50 offences, including specifically for some of the most notable, eye-catching Pam the Bird installations.

The Yarraville man was arrested this week, and police seized abseiling equipment, spray paint, illegal fireworks and property “suspected to be the proceeds of crime”, police say in a statement.

Police also released a short video clip of the arrest.

It shows a handcuffed man wearing pink Crocs and a black T-shirt and shorts being put into a paddywagon.

Pam the Bird on the Clifton Hill chimney Picture: Supplied

As he is walked to the police car, a building site covered in haphazard and opportunistic graffiti looms large across the street.

The colourful and legible Pam the Bird graffiti appears in stark contrast.

Police have released footage of a man being arrested in connection with the 'Pam the Bird' graffiti in Melbourne. Picture: Victoria Police

“In one of the most high-profile incidents, it’s alleged the man scaled and defaced the heritage listed Flinders Street Railway Station clock tower on 10 July 2024,” a police spokesperson said.

Police will allege the man is responsible for graffitiing the South Wharf hotel this month.

“It’s alleged he is also responsible for graffiti plastered across the rail network as well as the ‘Cheese Stick’ column on CityLink, a television station building in Docklands and concrete silos on Mercer Street in Geelong,” the spokesperson said.

Police estimate this man is allegedly responsible for $100,000 of damage.

Police also arrested and charged a 39-year-old Abbotsford man.

The bird was painted on a Melbourne hotel earlier this month.

“He has been charged with more than 20 criminal damage offences relating to the graffiti of suburban trains and the Docklands office building,” police said.

Both men were denied bail and are expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

In 2023, a 20-year-old man was charged after allegedly being caught painting the image inside the city’s underground rail loop.

More to come

Originally published as Men charged over baffling and iconic Pam the Bird graffiti in Melbourne