Once you see it, it’s everywhere: The story behind Melbourne’s mysterious ‘Pam the bird’ graffiti

Melbourne is internationally renowned for its street art, particularly the colourful and complex murals of the city’s laneways. But one graffiti symbol has reached new levels of notoriety, both through sheer force of numbers and for appearing in prominent – often hard-to-access – places. A long Pam the bird at the Wurundjeri Way and Lorimer Street intersection, near the DFO South Wharf.Credit: Joe Armao The tag is known as “Pam the bird” and once you see it, you’ll keep spotting it all over the place. For the past few years, this simple outline illustration of a bird has been popping up across the city, particularly in the western suburbs. It’s on the back of road signs and alongside railway lines, with sightings often documented on social media. The style can differ: sometimes Pam is long and thin, other times short and stout. The tag has developed an online cult following, inspiring T-shirt merchandise. Pam the bird on the Flinders Street Station clock tower. Credit: Victoria Police But Pam has also caused controversy this year, appearing on heritage sites, including the Flinders Street Station clock and the Uncle Toby’s factory in West Footscray. Both pieces involved audacious climbing, prompting questions about...