Australia reverses military land sale plans after protests, saving four historic sites

The Australian government has dropped plans to sell several historic military sites, including the 166-year-old Victoria Barracks in Sydney. The decision follows strong public opposition and concerns about protecting the country's military history. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles announced the change on Sunday, 8 November 2026. They confirmed that Victoria Barracks in Sydney and three other important heritage sites will remain in public hands. The decision is a major change to the government's wider plan to sell military land that is no longer being used. The plan followed an independent review of Defence properties, which recommended selling or partly selling 67 sites. The sales were expected to raise between $1.8 billion and $3 billion for military upgrades. Under the revised plan, four important historic sites will remain publicly owned. The government will now look at other public, heritage and commercial uses for the properties.Heritage sites spared from private saleThe main site affected by the decision is Victoria Barracks in Paddington, Sydney. The historic sandstone complex was built between 1841 and 1848 and is considered one of Au...