Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has abandoned plans to sell Sydney’s heritage listed Victoria Barracks, vowing public access and heritage preservation after months of campaigning.
Located on Oxford Street in Paddington, the sandstone, heritage-listed military site faced plans to be sold to generate $1.8 billion for the federal government.
In October, opponents of the planned Victoria Barracks divestment, including members of parliament and party leaders from across the political aisle and levels of government — from former Liberal prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott to Greens leader David Shoebridge — rallied alongside over 5000 people in Moore Park.
Marjorie O’Neill, Labor MLA for Coogee and organiser of the ‘Save Victoria Barracks’ campaign told City Hub that the rally sent a “strong message to the Prime Minister that this sale had to be stopped.”
At a press conference on Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the reversal of the Victoria Barracks Sale, stating that the site “will be free for all Sydneysiders to enjoy, and it will remain in public hands.”
Heritage of Victoria Barracks to be “enhanced [for] all Sydneysiders to enjoy”
Albanese assured the public that heritage of the Victoria Barracks is will “be not just maintained, but indeed enhanced.”
Victoria Barracks Paddington, alongside Victoria Barracks Melbourne, Fort Queenscliff and Point Cook (RAAF Williams) are the only four out of the 67 sites in the Defence Estate review that will be kept in public ownership. The Australian War Memorial will be commissioned to interpret these sites for recognition and tell the defence history.
Albanese pointed out that although he grew up in Sydney, it was the first time he had visited Victoria Barracks Sydney, alongside many other people, including journalists in attendance at the press conference.
“This is an asset for Sydney that should be opened up for Sydneysiders.”
“What we want is for people to actually have access to this site, to learn about the history of the Australian Defence Force presence here, and give appropriate tribute to it.”
Potential for activity “extraordinary”
Albanese held that while any development on the site would be consistent with heritage preservation, the potential for activity at the site was “extraordinary”.
“This is a site as well that’s so close to a lot of the activity that happens here in Sydney, close to the football stadium, the SCG, a lot of the facilities that are around here in what is a pristine location.”
“At the moment, this pristine location has been locked out for Sydneysiders.”
While the land cannot be sold to private interests or developers due to the site being held by the Australian Government, Albanese said that the government’s focus is on “making sure there is proper use of the site.”
Any “commercial opportunities that are there” will be “explored” as a potential way to pay for the maintenance of the site.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles held that maintaining the site in public hands in a way that will maximise the community and commercial use of the site is a “good outcome which works for Defence.”
“We’re not spending hundreds of millions of dollars on this site to maintain it as a Defence site with all the security that goes with that, and the heritage of it will be maintained.”
Campaigners welcome outcome
The federal government’s announcement that Victoria Barracks will be retained in public hands and handed over for community use upholds the importance of sustained advocacy by Sydney communities.
“The Prime Minister has shown leadership by listening to Australians from across the political spectrum who have united in their determination to protect Victoria Barracks. This is a significant step in the right direction, and one that should be welcomed,” Majorie O’Neill told City Hub.
“With the sale now being taken off the table, it’s important that the welfare and morale of the people working at Victoria Barracks Sydney, both those in uniform and public servants, are taken into consideration.”
City of Sydney Councillor Zann Maxwell called for planning to ensure public ownership, public access, housing, heritage conservation, civic, cultural and appropriate commercial opportunities for Victoria Barracks
“The government’s announcement is consistent with everything the community told us they wanted,” Councillor Maxwell said. “This is the right call. The gates are opening. Now we get to decide together what will happen on the other side.”
Councillor Maxwell emphasised that the site was significant in many ways outside of its original military purpose.
“Opening it to the public actually enhances that significance, because for the first time, people will be able to access and appreciate the history that has been hidden behind those walls.”
Following leadership of City of Sydney’s Guiding Principles for the Future of Victoria Barracks, Councillor Maxwell released an architecturally designed vision targeting the principles of public access and sensitive adaptive reuse of historic buildings.
This vision translates Victoria Barracks into a site of “leisure, gatherings and events; the heritage buildings adapted for galleries, bars, cultural and community uses; new pedestrian connections linking Oxford Street through to Moore Park; and carefully integrated housing.”
“We get one chance to get this right. If we do, it will be Sydney’s next great public place.”
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