It is the anti-vax, anti-Establishment, anti-government group that is targeting local councils with a campaign of conspiracies and disruption so fierce some have had to shut their doors to the public.
But, at first glance, My Place seems like any other innocuous community project. Innocent, even. Its mission statement paints it as a network of Australians who come together online and in-person to “share our skills, knowledge and support each other”.
The ‘My Place Frankston’ website welcomes visitors to a “supportive & caring community for all” that puts “transparency, openness and inclusiveness” at the core of its operations.
And, yet, scratch beneath the surface of the group very normal, friendly-looking skin and you will find thousands of members spouting dangerous health warnings and warped conspiracies about 5G and 15-minute cities (also known as Smart Cities).
The group’s beliefs question the Holocaust, Covid-19 vaccinations and the validity of Australian laws and institutions, believing instead in the sovereign citizens’ conspiracy that a secret global political elite is plotting to remove citizens’ freedoms.
My Place was started by Victorian carpenter and sovereign citizen Darren Bergwerf as a meeting place for people opposed to Covid-19 vaccinations.
But, from its anti-vax beginnings in Frankston, about 40 minutes from the Melbourne CBD, My Place has evolved into a group aiming to “re-educate” Australians and build a society that can defend itself from what members believe is the inevitable collapse of civilisation.
But Mr Bergwerf stands by the group’s inclusive ethos, telling the ABC: “We’re not divisive; we’re trying to bring people together”.
However, days before the broadcaster was due to attend the Frankston headquarters for their story, it found Mr Bergwerf shared anti-Semitic conspiracy theories to a My Place social media channel.
Mr Bergwerf also ran as an independent for the seat of Dunkley in the 2022 federal election. He also ran for the seat of Frankston in the Victorian state election months later.
He has also been “elected” the mayor of the People’s Council of Frankston – a shadow council to the officially-recognised Frankston Council.
The PCF website is emblazoned with the red Australian flag, the maritime flag that has become a defining symbol of sovereign citizens. It declares itself as being: “By the People, For the People”.
In recent months, My Place members have overlapped with right-wing “freedom” groups at council meetings to rally against climate change policies, children’s events involving drag queens, and what they believe to be increasing citizen surveillance.
In January, more than 100 protesters – from My Place and other groups – hijacked a meeting of the Yarra Ranges Council, on the northeastern outskirts of Melbourne, shouting conspiracies theories through council’s discussion about Smart Cities.
Police were called to assist with managing the crowd, the meeting was postponed and councillors reconvened online that night.
Then, in April, the council announced it would indefinitely close the doors on its public meetings due to “a consistent and increasing pattern of verbal abuse, intimidation and anti-social behaviour” by members of the public. Mayor Jim Childs pointed the blame for his decision squarely on My Place.
And in Melbourne’s southeast, the City of Casey cancelled a series of drag queen events after the council was targeted by people linked to My Place, The Age reports.
The newspaper also reported Mr Place members also targeted drag queens slated to host independent family-friendly children’s events, threatening to track them down and “stake out” the performers.
Mr Bergderf distanced himself from threats towards the drag queen shows after they became public, and told The Age he would act against those who were involved.
Similar showdowns are happening interstate, at council meetings in New South Wales and South Australia where protesters are allegedly calling for citizens arrests and protesting CCTV surveillance programs and 15-mniute cities.
Their plan to target and disrupt local council meetings was hatched a My Place Frankston community meeting, held on February 1, where they declared it was “crunch time” to act against 5G and Smart Cities.
The fierce opposition to Smart Cities is based off a conspiracy theory that the internationally recognised global town planning concept of 15- or 20-minute cities – which aim to offer residents key services within walking distance of home – are actually a ploy to lock people in their suburbs.
As for the opposition to 5G mobile towers, sceptics believe the new network is linked to the creation of the Covid-19 pandemic. The theory prompted some people set these towers alight or vandalising them.
Photos of posters and videos from conspiracy theorists around the world are shared on the My Place Facebook groups that, despite being relatively fringe, are growing.
The flagship Frankston group hosts more than 5100 members, while the My Place Australia group is home to 8075 members. And there are hundreds more active members scattered in groups representing regions and cities across the country.
A number posts also promote sharing organic food, eco-friendly cleaning products, and fostering self-sufficiency.
The grouus state the goal for My Place “is to implement a project that allows us to step away from the current systems that are not serving our best interests”.
“As we all come together and share our skills, knowledge, and support, we can gradually build the individual sectors where the services can be accessed by all,” it reads.
“‘Rather than fighting the old, we walk away & create the new’. This now creates an opportunity for all of us to be actively involved in creating our future.”
It seems, however, that though the group has acquired some extreme followers and espoused some extreme beliefs, its founder Mr Bergwerf strongly believes in its original for-all ethos.
He told the ABC he believed: “Once people understand where we’re at and what’s happened, I think you’ll find that things will change.”