Property developers apologise for bulldozing Angus and Malcolm Young's childhood home
They called it an "oversight"
Last updated 7th Jan 2025
A property developer in Australia has issued a "heartfelt" apology after they bulldozed the childhood home of AC/DC legends Angus and Malcolm Young.
The youngest of eight siblings born in Scotland, Angus and Malcolm Young emigrated to Australia in 1963 with their parents William and Margaret and older brothers and sisters, including future AC/DC producer George.
Initially living at the Villawood Migrant Hostel, in 1965 the Youngs moved to 4 Burleigh Street in the Sydney suburb of Burwood where Angus and Malcolm were raised.
The brothers also formed AC/DC while living at the semi-detached house.
Following AC/DC’s stratospheric ascent to stardom in the late 1970s, the house on Burleigh Street became a tourist attraction for fans, and it was duly added to Australia’s National Trust Register of Historic Houses in 2013.
Despite its cultural importance, the Young house and its neighbouring property were bulldozed shortly before Christmas to make way for a $28.75 million residential development.
Fans were quick to take to social media to voice their outrage, with one calling the demolition an “utter disgrace.”
Another wrote: “Awful to see destruction of history not only for the Australian music and cultural history, but also a possible museum tourist destinations destroyed! Very sad!”
In the wake of the backlash, Leon Kmita, general manager of property developers Burwood Square Pty Ltd, said they only learned of the home’s history after it was knocked down.
Kmita said in a statement: "On behalf of the team at Burwood Square, I want to convey our heartfelt regret that we have only just learnt of the cultural significance of 4 Burleigh Street, the former home of AC/DC, one of music history's most iconic bands.
“We now recognise how deeply this location resonates with the AC/DC community and fans worldwide.
“As we developed plans for this space, we conducted due diligence, including consulting heritage registers and collaborating with experts in the field.
“Unfortunately, the historical connection to AC/DC was not identified at that stage, and we regret that the previous long-term owner did not share this vital part of the property's background with us.
“We are genuinely sorry for this oversight.
“Learning about this connection after our plans were already underway has shocked us.
We feel a strong responsibility to honour AC/DC's legacy and to make amends to all the fans who hold this band in such high regard.
“While we cannot change the past, we are dedicated to celebrating this significant part of their story.
“We are now salvaging materials from the demolition to create a special space, such as a café, bar, or live music venue, where fans can gather to celebrate the band's enduring legacy.
“We are also committed to seeking a collaboration with the Young family, fan groups and cultural experts to ensure our tribute is meaningful and respectful.
“Burwood Council has already acknowledged AC/DC's connection to the area with an impressive mural nearby, and we share in that commitment.
“We aim to ensure that our development also serves as a lasting tribute to their cultural impact.
“To the global fanbase of AC/DC, please know that we hear you, appreciate your deep admiration for this legendary band, and are devoted to making this right."
Burwood Council have also issued their own statement saying it wasn’t themselves who gave the green light for the demolition.
“The Young family's contribution to the Australian music scene has been widely recognised by Burwood Council and fans across the globe, and we like many others are saddened and disappointed by the demolition of 4 Burleigh Street, Burwood. Approval to demolish the property at 4 Burleigh Street was not granted by Burwood Council,” they said.
“The owner, under State Government Planning Controls, engaged a private certifier authorised to issue a Complying Development Certificate, requiring only two days' notice to Council before demolition works commence.
“As (the house) is not heritage listed or protected under local or state legislation, and because the National Trust is a community-based, non-government organisation, with no statutory authority, the property does not have enforceable protections,” they said.
“Burwood Council remains committed to finding new ways to celebrate the Young family and the area’s rich musical heritage.”
The childhood homes of famous rock stars:
Angus and Malcolm Young's childhood home
The youngest of eight siblings born in Scotland, Angus and Malcolm Young emigrated to Australia in 1963 with their parents William and Margaret and older brothers and sisters, including future AC/DC producer George. Initially living at the Villawood Migrant Hostel, in 1965 the Youngs moved to 4 Burleigh Street in the Sydney suburb of Burwood where Angus and Malcolm were raised. The brothers also formed AC/DC while living at the semi-detached house. Despite being added to Australia's National Trust Register of Historic Houses in 2013, the house was "accidentally" demolished by developers in December 2024 to make way for a residential development.
Joe Elliott’s childhood home
Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott was born and raised at 61 Crookes Road in Sheffield. Ahead of Def Leppard's homecoming gigs at The Leadmill and Bramall Lane in May 2023, Joe visited the property. He wrote: "The house I was born in, grew up in, met Sav & Tony Kenning for the very time in that upstairs room you can see above me …. Sigh …. Memories!!"
Ozzy Osbourne’s childhood home
One of six children, Ozzy Osbourne spent his formative years in this small two-bedroom terraced house on Lodge Road in Aston. Ozzy told Huffington Post in 2014: "I've been back to that house a few times over the years and I can't believe there were eight of us living in a two-and-a-half-bedroom house. It is tiny! I have wardrobes bigger in my house."
John Lennon’s childhood home
Now a lovingly restored Grade II listed building preserved by the National Trust, John Lennon lived at 251 Menlove Avenue in Liverpool with his Aunt Mimi from 1945 to 1963. It featured on the cover to Oasis single 'Live Forever' in 1994 and in 2000 it was adorned with an English Heritage blue plaque.
Paul McCartney’s childhood home
Sir Paul McCartney's childhood home at 20 Forthlin Road in Allerton, south Liverpool. It became a listed building in 2012 and is owned by the National Trust. The Trust markets the house as "the birthplace of the Beatles" as it was where McCartney and Lennon penned the earliest Beatles songs.
Ringo Starr’s childhood home
Ringo Starr (aka Richard Starkey) spent his very early childhood years at a terraced house on Madryn Street in Liverpool but moved to at two-up, two-down house 10 Admiral Grove in Dingle when he was 3 with mum Elsie when his parents separated. He lived there for the next 20 years. Pictured is 10 Admiral Grove in 1964.
David Bowie’s childhood home
40 Stansfield Road in Brixton where a young David Jones - aka David Bowie – lived until he was six years old. The house became a shrine for Bowie when the music legend died in January 2016.
Kurt Cobain’s childhood home
Kurt Cobain's childhood home in Aberdeen, Washington. Nirvana fan Lee Bacon bought the house in 2018 for $225,000 (around £170,000) and told Rolling Stone: "My goal is to preserve and restore it for my generation and for my kids."
Kurt Cobain’s childhood home
Kurt Cobain's Led Zeppelin graffiti is still on the walls in his attic bedroom.
Little Richard’s childhood home
The late rock and roll pioneer was brought up alongside his eleven siblings in this detached home in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood of Macon, Georgia in the 1930s and 40s. Now named The Little Richard Resource Center, the home is now open to the public and hosts a number of community events.
Bruce Springsteen’s childhood home
Bruce Springsteen grew up in this home at 39 1/2 Institute Street in Freehold, New Jersey from the years 1955 to 1962. It was while living at this house aged 7 in 1956 that Springsteen witnessed Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show and decided he wanted to be a musician himself.
Johnny Cash’s childhood home
Meticulously restored in 2014 thanks to funds from Arkansas State University, Johnny Cash's boyhood home is in the tiny town of Dyess, Arkansas.
Jim Morrison’s childhood home
Jim Morrison's home in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he lived in his teens while his dad worked at the nearby Kirtland Air Force Base.
Bono’s childhood home
Paul 'Bono' Hewson's parents bought this house on Cedarwood Road, Dublin seven weeks after his birth in 1960 and he spent his entire childhood here. The U2 song 'Cedarwood Road' on their 2014 album 'Songs of Innocence' is a nostalgic musical celebration of Bono's boyhood abode.
Freddie Mercury’s childhood home
Aged 17, Freddie Mercury and his family fled the Zanzibar revolution to live at 22 Gladstone Avenue in Feltham, West London. Pictured is Queen's Brian May and Freddie's younger sister Kashmira Cooke at the unveiling of a Blue Plaque at the house in September 2016.
Lars Ulrich’s childhood home
Lars Ulrich lived in this uniquely designed property in Hellerup, Denmark with his family until he moved to America aged 17.
Mick Jagger’s childhood home
Sir Mick Jagger was brought up in this semi-detached house in Dartford, Kent. His future bandmate Keith Richards lived just around the corner.
Keith Richards’ childhood home
Keith Richards spent the first six years of his life living in this two-bedroom flat above a florists in Dartford, Kent.
Axl Rose’s childhood home
Axl Rose lived at this humble Lafayette, Indiana house from 1962 to 1982 before moving to Los Angeles in his early twenties.
Marc Bolan’s childhood home
The young Mark Field (Marc Bolan) lived at this terraced property on Stoke Newington Common, London from his birth in 1947 to aged 15 in 1962. In 2005, the London Borough of Hackney honoured Bolan with a plaque outside the property.
Elvis Presley’s childhood home
The humble two-bedroom house in Tupelo, Mississippi where The King himself Elvis Presley was born on 8th January 1935. It was built by his father Vernon after he successfully secured a $180 loan.
Jon Bon Jovi's childhood home
John Francis Bongiovi Jr.'s childhood home in Sayreville, New Jersey. Astonishingly, MTV bought the home in 1989 and gave it away in a competition. Jon Bon Jovi was reported to be "angry" at the publicity stunt and the competition winner soon sold the property.
Noel and Liam Gallagher's childhood home
Soon after Liam's birth, the Gallaghers moved to Ashby Avenue and then to Cranwell Drive in Burnage (pictured). With a violent and alcoholic father, Noel and his brothers had an unhappy childhood before mum Peggy left Thomas in 1982 with her three children.