Opposition mounts to proposed Victoria Barracks sale

Former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott joined veterans, former military leaders and concerned Australians in Sydney on Sunday, October 25, protesting the Albanese Government’s planned sale of Victoria Barracks.

The rally at Kippax Lake in Moore Park, near the historic military site on Oxford Street in Paddington, highlighted growing opposition to the proposal, with calls for the government to reconsider the future of one of Australia’s most significant military establishments.

Howard described the barracks as “a precious, irreplaceable, not-for-sale national asset”, urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to intervene.

Former prime minister Paul Keating has also opposed the proposed sale, accusing Defence of trying to “vandalise the national estate”. Former governor-general and Chief of the Defence Force Sir Peter Cosgrove is another prominent critic.

RSL NSW has called for the barracks to remain an operational military site or, at minimum, under public ownership.

More than 175 years of military history

Established in the 1840s, Victoria Barracks occupies approximately 13 hectares of land in inner-city Sydney. Construction began in 1841, using locally quarried sandstone and convict labour, with the main barracks building completed in 1848.

Originally occupied by British troops, the barracks subsequently became home to New South Wales colonial forces and played an important role in Australia’s military development.

Soldiers were recruited and trained at the site for the Sudan campaign of 1885, while the first recruitment activity in NSW for both world wars also took place there. The barracks later accommodated the Royal Military College during the 1930s and have remained in continuous military use.

Today, the site houses Headquarters Forces Command and Headquarters 2nd Health Brigade, supports reservists and cadet training, and is home to the Australian Army Museum of New South Wales.

Opponents argue that relinquishing such a substantial and historically important Defence site in Australia’s largest city could have lasting consequences, particularly if its military capabilities were needed again in the future.

Part of a nationwide sell-off

The proposed sale forms part of a much larger Defence property divestment program announced by the Albanese Government in February.

Following the Defence Estate Audit, 67 properties were identified for full or partial divestment, including historic Victoria Barracks sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, along with Irwin and Leeuwin barracks in Western Australia.

The government argues that ageing and underused properties place unnecessary pressure on Defence resources, with proceeds from the sales intended to support other military priorities, including northern base upgrades.

However, critics have questioned whether the financial benefits outweigh the permanent loss of significant military assets, particularly at a time of increasing strategic uncertainty.

A Senate inquiry is examining the proposed divestments, including their financial justification, strategic implications and effects on military heritage. Its final report is due on February 25, 2027.

The government says heritage protections will apply, but opponents argue that preserving historic buildings is not the same as retaining their military purpose and connection to generations of Australian servicemen and women.