Burwood Sewer Vent, Heritage sewer vent in Burwood, Australia

Burwood Sewer Vent is a ventilation structure with an octagonal base and circular opening that rises approximately 5.5 meters (18 feet) above ground. Its design features radiating concrete ribs and decorative bands arranged in a classical style.

Constructed in 1919 by the Metropolitan Board of Water Supply and Sewerage, the vent was built to manage gases from the sewer system. Its creation followed the opening of the Homebush Bay Abattoir in 1916, which created increased demand for gas management.

Locals know the stack by two names, Wentworth Road Sewer Vent and Railway Parade Sewer Vent, after the corner it faces. It stands in a small reserve at Wentworth Road and Railway Parade, opposite the railway line, and is visible about 500 metres north up Wentworth Road. Burwood Council had asked for a sewage plant at Hen & Chicken Bay in 1888; the government told it to wait for the Western Suburbs Sewer, and the Western Branch Main Sewer followed.

Located along Railway Parade, this functioning ventilation system can be viewed from the street. Access is limited to exterior observation, as the structure serves an active role in the sewer network.

This reinforced concrete structure is one of only two such ventilation stacks in the entire Sydney Water system and displays neo-classical console brackets beneath a projecting cornice. These features make it a rare example of this particular engineering approach.