Burwood Unveils AC/DC Tribute Theatre and Murals in $57.8M Project

Burwood Council is tuning up plans to honour one of rock’s biggest exports, pledging a tribute to AC/DC with statues, murals and a theatre named after the Young brothers, aiming to rival Liverpool’s homage to the Beatles.

The move follows the controversial demolition of the Young family’s Burwood home, where brothers Angus and Malcolm Young lived when they formed AC/DC in 1973. The house was razed last year to make way for a 39-storey tower promising a hotel, offices and nearly 50 apartments.

The loss drew the ire of fans online, with many arguing the house should have been heritage listed.

Burwood pitches ‘Young Theatre’ and AC/DC Square among proposals

Last week, Burwood Council resolved to push ahead with an ambitious memorial plan: inviting Angus Young and other band members when AC/DC’s Power Up tour hits Sydney in November, and proposing to rename Railway Square as AC/DC Square.

Mayor of Burwood John Faker said a 300-seat performance space inside the upcoming Burwood Culture House will be called the Young Theatre.

The council will also lobby the NSW Government for “larger-than-life bronze statues” of the band, inspired by Liverpool’s famous Beatles landmarks.

Faker insisted the plans were a long time coming, not a knee jerk response to the demolition.

“We’re not forgetting what AC/DC contributed to world music, and we’ll celebrate that here in Burwood,” Faker said. “When Angus comes home this November, we’ll be ready to shut down the streets to give them the welcome they deserve.”

The Young Theatre will anchor the new Burwood Culture House, set to replace the car park beside the Burwood library and community hub just three blocks from the Young family’s old home.

The $57.8m plan includes an underground car park, adding multipurpose halls, public open space and a café, with completion slated for 2029.

Heritage fights and rock tributes collide in Burwood

Faker stressed that Burwood’s tribute should eclipse Melbourne’s well-known AC/DC Lane. “While it’s a dedication, I don’t think it’s impressive,” he said.

The 144-metre tower proposal that displaced the Young home remains contentious. Council was among 22 objectors to the project, though a 2019 independent review found the house did not qualify for heritage protection, noting its past as a brothel and medical centre.

Faker has promised a commemorative plaque on the site, though Planning Minister Paul Scully, or his delegate, will ultimately determine the project’s fate.

Meanwhile, Burwood’s mural of Angus and Malcolm Young will soon be joined by their older brother George, the Easybeats co-founder, songwriter and producer. “You’ll have those as bookends on the terraces, and they’re heritage protected,” Faker said. “We won’t be knocking those down.”

For fans still mourning the loss of the Youngs’ old house, the council’s pledge offers some consolation—and a new rock’n’roll altar to rally around.

It’s a long way to the top for Burwood but it’s a chance to turn loss into legacy, and stake its claim as the true birthplace of AC/DC.