A plaque honouring music great Billy Thorpe was installed late 2007 at the end of Duncans Lane in the Holden Flaura Reserve which falls in Hume shire, but its unveiling passed with little fanfare.

Few residents and even fewer music fans are aware of its existence.

Thorpe was acknowledged as the king of Australian rock ‘n’ roll in the wake of his Sunbury Festival performances, regarded as Australia’s Woodstock.

But George Duncan, whose Diggers Rest farm hosted the four festivals, said the Hume Council commissioned plaque had been a waste of time and money as the site was virtually unpromoted.

“The council doesn’t support it apart from a small amount of information in a self-drive tour booklet, there are no signs to say you are there or information boards to explain the significance of Billy Thorpe to Diggers Rest,” Mr Duncan e said.

“There is an etching of his face and dates of when he was born and when he died but there no mention he was at the festival.”

Hume councillors pushed for a plaque following the death of Thorpe in February 2007.

He said he often saw people going up and down his road trying to find the plaque.

Hume Mayor Jack Ogilvie said he could not recall when the plaque was officially opened but remembers Thorpe’s mother was present.

Cr Ogilvie welcomed any moves to make the public more aware of the history of the site and encouraged Mr Duncan to put his proposals to council.

Mr Duncan said he hoped the Back Road Festival, which started in Sunbury last year and is scheduled to run this April, would replicate the success of the Sunbury Festival.

Promoter Bernard Lakey had his permit to hold this year’s festival approved by Hume Council after neighbours raised concerns about noise and alcohol.

“I agree there should be music festivals for young people but all you confront sometimes are knockers,” Mr Duncan said.