A retired colonel says plans to sell "the ancestral home" of the Australian Army is "mind-boggling", joining a chorus of prominent voices criticising the federal government's decision.
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plans → say → decision
Victoria Barracks in Sydney's east has been an active Australian Army base for over a century.
But a recent independent audit found Defence's estate portfolio was too difficult to maintain, with underused and ageing facilities placing an increasing burden on resources.
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facilities → find → resources
As a result, the barracks is one of 67 underused or vacant Defence properties earmarked for sale by the federal government.
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barracks → earmark → government
A rich military history
Victoria Barracks Sydney was established in 1840, with the main complex completed by 1848.
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complex → establish → 1848
The Regency-style barracks sits on 13 hectares of land and was mostly constructed using local sandstone quarried by convicts.
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barracks → sit → convicts
The barracks, located in Paddington, were originally designed to accommodate 40 officers and over 600 enlisted men, with early designs featuring soldiers' quarters, hospital, military prison and more.
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designs → locate → quarters
Various British Army regiments occupied the site until 1870, followed by the NSW colonial government, and later the Australian Army following federation in 1901.
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regiments → occupy → 1901
Graham Fleeton is a retired colonel and the chairman of The Army Museum of New South Wales Foundation, which maintains and manages the museum located at Victoria Barracks.
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which → retire → Barracks
He described the site as one of the best known examples of military architecture in Australia.
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He → describe → Australia
"All of the buildings have stayed exactly as they were built," he said.
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he → stay → buildings
Mr Fleeton said soldiers had left Victoria Barracks to fight in a series of wars Australia was involved in, such as the Sudan War, Boer War and World War I.
"Many left from here, not to return.
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Many → say → War
Victoria Barracks will always be a significant reminder of the sacrifices made by Australian men and women," he said.
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he → make → men
The site had a musical history too, with the Australian Army Band Sydney tracing its lineage back to 1874 as the resident military band at Victoria Barracks.
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Band → have → Barracks
Today, the site's purpose has evolved from its original role.
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purpose → evolve → role
About 500 people currently occupy the site, including members of numerous army commands and other support units.
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people → occupy → commands
The Sydney Waratahs and Wallabies have also previously used Victoria Barracks as a training ground.
But the federal government now plans to sell Victoria Barracks, putting the museum's future location in question.
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government → use → question
Defence sources told the ABC on Monday there were currently "people packing boxes", with the goal of having everyone moved out by Christmas.
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everyone → tell → Christmas
Memorabilia, such as trophies, cups and insignia from the officers' and sergeants' messes, were being stored elsewhere as there was no clear place to put them.
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Memorabilia → store → them
Mr Fleeton said the site was the "ancestral home of the Army".
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site → say → Army
"They're telling the people they have to start moving out from November 17 into the Defence Plaza.
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they → tell → Plaza
You should have seen the look on the faces of people,"he said.
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You → see → people,"he
"It's mind-boggling …
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It → boggle → ?
People right across the political spectrum don't want this site sold.
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site → want → spectrum
"
Under the current relocation plan, the majority of those personnel will be shifted to the Randwick Barracks, while others will be temporarily moved to Defence Plaza Sydney, a commercial office tower located 2 kilometres from the barracks in the CBD.
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others → shift → CBD
The Commonwealth rents the foreign-owned office tower.
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Commonwealth → rent → tower
Defence Plaza Sydney is understood to be sitting 60 per cent empty, leaving plenty of room for additional personnel.
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Sydney → understand → personnel
Federal government stands strong on decision
Defence Minister Richard Marles defended the federal government's stance, saying it would take $200 million over the next decade to maintain the barracks as a Defence site.
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it → stand → site
The sale of the barracks and the other underused or vacant Defence properties is expected to generate up to $3 billion in revenue.
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sale → expect → revenue
"Given the strategic landscape we face, we simply cannot afford to be wasting money," Mr Marles said at Monday's question time.
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Marles → give → time
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added: "There would be very few people who ever have access to what is a very large site in need of substantial Commonwealth investment just to be maintained."
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what → add → investment
Mr Albanese recommended the site be "utilised appropriately with full respect for the heritage of the site".
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site → recommend → site
A future owner of Victoria Barracks would need to take into account the 12 Commonwealth Heritage Listings for the site.
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owner → need → site
Properties on the Commonwealth Heritage List have protections, which means heritage management options have to be considered, such as retaining heritage elements and adaptively reusing buildings.
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options → have → buildings
A City of Sydney survey found the main priority for community members was that the heritage of the barracks was maintained.
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heritage → find → barracks
In a statement, a Defence Department spokesperson said Victoria Barracks was "a significant heritage site".
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Barracks → say → statement
"Defence acknowledges Victoria Barracks Sydney has served Australia proudly and holds strong historical, cultural and community significance, particularly for serving members and veterans," they said.
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they → acknowledge → members
The spokesperson said Defence would be engaging with the museum trust on the future of the collection as part of the site divestment planning.
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Defence → say → planning
For Mr Fleeton, he felt passionately about preserving the barracks and the museum.
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he → feel → barracks
"We've got three Victoria Crosses there.
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We → get → Crosses
We have a 5-foot bronze statue of a soldier holding a bayonet made by the same primary sculptor of the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, George Rayner Hoff," he said.
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he → have → Park
The Aporia