WA’s ‘Highway to Hell’ Pub Swapped for Microbrewery in $93m Proposal

That podium would contain a two-storey microbrewery of 685sq m, a 208sq m liquor store, two cafes of 272sq m and 168sq m and three retail tenancies of 162sq m, 99sq m and 97 square metres.

Built in 1907, the Leopold, which poured its last beer in October last year, hosted assorted Aussie rock gods including Daryl Braithwaite and Jimmy Barnes. For one rocket-fuelled day in 2020, as part of the Perth Festival, the 11km western stretch of Canning Highway was shut down for a Highway to Hell rock spectacular that the WA government funded to the tune of $700,000.

At the time, festival artistic director Iain Grandage said that, for years, late AC/DC frontman Bon Scott had walked part of the stretch from the Leopold toward his home suburb of North Fremantle. Periodicals including pop/rock bible NME have reported that Canning Highway was the inspiration for heavy-drinking Scott’s famed lyrics for Highway to Hell.

Acknowledging that a microbrewery is technically prohibited by the 6828sq m plot’s zoning, Changfeng’s development application said it nevertheless “represents a continuation and evolution of the site’s long-standing hospitality function, rather than an entirely new or incompatible land use”. 

▲ Changfeng’s application said the project would continue the Canning Highway site’s long-standing role as a hospitality venue. 

As part of the pathway to approval, consultants for Changfeng met McDonalds Australia to discuss how vehicle access from the highway to an existing Macca’s next door might be maintained.

Designed by Space Collective Architects, the all-electric building with rooftop solar panels would have 236 car parking bays, 37 motorcycle bays and 143 bicycle spaces.