Bon Scott Sculpture

On AC/DC Lane in Melbourne's CBD, at the intersection with Duckboard Place, a three-metre bas-relief sculpture of Bon Scott erupts from the brick wall of the Cherry Bar — mouth open, microphone raised, bursting through the wall as if arriving mid-song. Created through a collaboration between Cherry Bar owner James Young and Melbourne street artist Mike Makatron, the sculpture was unveiled in March 2018 and quickly became one of the most photographed music landmarks in the city.

The Cherry Bar itself is one of Melbourne's great rock bars — a long-running venue on AC/DC Lane that has always worn its love of AC/DC proudly. Having Scott's likeness literally smashing through its wall is entirely in keeping with the spirit of the place. The lane was officially renamed AC/DC Lane by the City of Melbourne in 2004 in honour of the band, which formed in Sydney in 1973 but built much of its early following playing venues across Melbourne.

The sculpture is publicly accessible at any hour — AC/DC Lane is a through-lane that's always open — and pairs naturally with a visit to the Cherry Bar below it, which continues to operate as one of Melbourne's better live music pubs. At night, with the bar noise spilling out and Scott's face lit up on the wall, it's easy to feel something of what those early gigs must have been like.