Plaque honouring Billy Thorpe stolen from Sunbury Pop Festival site

A PLAQUE honouring late rocker Billy Thorpe, at the site of Sunbury’s iconic 1970s pop festival, has been stolen for the second time.

Disappointed members of the Sunbury Pop /rock Festival Facebook group at the site of the old festival off Duncans Rd Diggers Rest where the plaque of Billy Thorpe has been stolen. Pictured from left Deborah Sweeney, City of Hume Cr Jack Medcraft , Mark Belcher and Stuart Belcher they are holding memorabilia from the event. Picture: Mark Wilson

A PLAQUE honouring the contribution of late rocker Billy Thorpe to the 1970s Sunbury Pop Festivals has once again been stolen.

Once considered the King of Rock in Australia, Thorpe’s plaque was discovered stolen last week from its home in Diggers Rest, where the landmark concerts were held.

The plaque was a replica, with the original also stolen in 2012, before turning up in a Sunbury charity bin more than 18 months later.

Often labelled Australia’s “Woodstock”, the festivals were among the first large-scale outdoor music events in the country and Thorpe was considered central to their success.

Sunbury woman and founder of the Sunbury Pop/Rock Festival 1972-1975 Facebook page, Debra Sweeney, said the theft from Holden Reserve was disres­pectful to the family of Tho­rpe and a generation of fans.

“I saw Billy play in 1975 at the festival and he made a huge impression on me,” Ms Sweeney said. “He was basically the King of Rock in Australia then and he was a symbol of that time in my, and other people’s, lives.

“I’ve always been drawn to Sunbury and eventually came to live here.”

RELATED: Stolen plaque honouring Billy Thorpe found by Salvos volunteers

RELATED: Push on to build museum to celebrate Sunbury’s famous cricket and rock music heritage

Ms Sweeney has emailed Thorpe’s wife Lynn, who has also expressed her sadness, as have several others members of the 900-strong person Facebook group.

A regular visitor to the reserve to check on the plaque, Ms Sweeney said the theft had convinced her a better and more secure way of protecting the marker was needed.

Or it could be time for a more lavish statue or museum to safeguard the history, she said.

“I personally have always felt that there needs to be a dedicated museum in Sunbury highlighting the festivals with images, information boards and memorabilia, including the plaque,” she said.

“I always thought a full size statue of Billy in action as he was known at the Sunbury Festivals should be somewhere in Sunbury.”

Billy Thorpe's widow Lynn and daughter Lauren with the original plaque which was stolen in 2012 but recovered aftter it was dumped in a charity bin. Picture: Norm Oorloff

Statues of the Bee Gees and Johnny O’Keffe mark the Redcliff and Coolangatta areas, the respective home of the legendary Australian music acts.

In August, Sunbury Leader reported a concept by Su­nFest organiser Graham Ha­nley-Smith, who called for a museum to pay tribute to Sunbury as the birthplace of Australian rock music and the Ashes rivalry between Australia and England.

Hume councillor Jack Medcraft, who attended the festivals, said the theft was appalling.

“If that person has a moment of honesty I’d ask them to contact me so it can go back to its rightful place, no questions asked,” he said.

Hume Council said it would investigate the incident and that the original plaque was on display at the Visitor Information Centre on Macedon St.