Politics · Australia · 10 hrs ago
Australia keeps four historic defence sites in public hands
Australia’s government has dropped plans to sell four historic defence sites, including Victoria Barracks in Sydney.
The other sites are Victoria Barracks in Melbourne, Fort Queenscliff and RAAF Base Point Cook, all in Victoria.
The properties were among dozens identified for sale after an audit found some defence sites were underused and costly to maintain.
The sales were intended to raise money for defence needs, but public opposition focused on protecting the sites’ military history.
The government says the sites will remain publicly owned, and their historic features will be preserved.
Defence personnel will move out, and the sites are expected to open to the public as places to learn about Australia’s military history.
The government is due to provide more details about its wider defence property plans.
Four heritage-listed defence sites will remain in public hands after the Australian government reversed plans to sell them following public opposition.
The sites are Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne, Fort Queenscliff and RAAF Base Point Cook in Victoria.
They will no longer be used as active defence facilities after personnel move out, and the government plans to open them to the public.
The government says this will protect the sites’ historic elements while allowing Defence to focus spending on military capability.
The Australian War Memorial will advise on presenting the sites’ history.
- Who
- The Albanese government announced the decision. The sites are held by the Commonwealth.
- What
- Four heritage-listed defence sites will be removed from the planned sale and remain in public hands.
- When
- The decision was announced on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
- Where
- Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne, Fort Queenscliff and RAAF Base Point Cook, all in Australia.
- Why
- The government reversed the planned sales after public backlash and said the sites’ history should be protected and opened to the public.
Government
Opponents of the sale
Sale rationale
Government
The government said underused defence properties were costly to maintain and that Defence needed to focus spending on capability.
Opponents of the sale
Opponents argued that Victoria Barracks should remain in public hands because of its military heritage.
Outcome and use
Government
The government decided the four sites would stay publicly owned, with defence personnel moving out and public access planned.
Opponents of the sale
Opponents had called for the heritage sites to be kept in public ownership.
An independent audit of defence property holdings was completed.
Anthony Albanese defended the proposed sale of Victoria Barracks during Question Time, saying it was underused and costly to maintain.
The Albanese government announced that four heritage-listed defence sites would no longer be sold.
The government plans to open the sites to the public and work with the Australian War Memorial on presenting their history.
- Sites retained
- Victoria Barracks, Sydney
- Other sites
- Victoria Barracks, Melbourne; Fort Queenscliff; RAAF Base Point Cook
- Sydney site location
- Paddington, Sydney
- Audit completed
- 2023
- Planned future use
- Public access after defence personnel move out
7 sources
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What people are saying
Victoria Barracks Sydney has a special place in our nation's history — and we will be keeping it in public hands
Given the strategic landscape we face, we cannot afford to be wasting money. We need to look at how we best use defence money for defence capability
indifference to our proud national and military history
Our military heritage and defence capability must come before a short-term cash grab