The Returned and Services League of Australia NSW has come out strongly against what it describes as a rushed plan to remove Australian Army personnel from Sydney's Victoria Barracks, warning that the heritage-listed military precinct must not be sold as the Albanese Government weighs offloading dozens of Defence properties across the country.
RSL NSW President Brigadier Vince Williams said the organisation was "appalled" by reports of plans to relocate personnel from the inner-city site, which he described as the "spiritual home of the Australian Army". The statement comes after reports emerged that Army personnel had initially been directed to vacate the precinct by 19 December, before Defence subsequently clarified the order had been rescinded.
A $2 billion sell-off of Defence land
Victoria Barracks sits within a broader federal government program to sell 67 Defence properties across Australia, part of a sweeping overhaul of the military estate that follows an audit finding the sites were surplus to requirements and costly to maintain. The overall program is expected to generate around $1.8 billion, with proceeds earmarked to be reinvested into Australia's defence capability. Victoria Barracks alone forms part of what has been described as a $2 billion Defence land sale.
Established in the 1840s, Victoria Barracks is listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List and carries close to 180 years of continuous military history. Defence has indicated that relocations from the site could begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, but only once security, workforce and operational requirements have been satisfied. Defence Minister Richard Marles has reportedly confirmed the government wants Defence personnel out of the site "as soon as possible".
The Albanese Government has been active on several defence and foreign policy fronts in recent months, though the Victoria Barracks decision has drawn sharp domestic criticism from the veterans' community.
RSL NSW slams consultation process as "box-ticking"
Brigadier Williams said Defence's clarification over the December deadline had done little to ease the organisation's concerns, pointing to the minister's own language about moving personnel out "as soon as possible" as evidence that the government remained intent on vacating the site.
"Reports that Army personnel were initially directed to vacate the site by 19 December are deeply concerning," Williams said. "While Defence has reportedly clarified that timeframe, the Minister for Defence has confirmed that the Government wants Defence personnel out of Victoria Barracks 'as soon as possible'."
He described the consultation process underpinning the decision as "little more than a box-ticking exercise", following what he characterised as a superficial review of the Defence estate. The RSL NSW president said no compelling case had been made to show how removing the Army from Victoria Barracks would strengthen capability, support serving personnel, or serve Australia's long-term national interest.
Williams also raised concerns about the financial logic of the move, noting that Defence was committing hundreds of millions of dollars to commercial office accommodation elsewhere in Sydney — while at the same time potentially walking away from a precinct that has served the military for nearly two centuries.
"Defence capability is about more than buildings on a balance sheet," Williams said. "It is about people, location, resilience, history, culture and connection."
RSL calls for Victoria Barracks to remain in Commonwealth hands
RSL NSW is calling on the federal government to keep Victoria Barracks as a fully operational Commonwealth base. Should Defence ultimately decide to leave the site, the organisation says the precinct must at minimum remain in public ownership, with its military heritage protected for future generations.
"Once a military precinct with almost 180 years of history is lost, it cannot be recreated," Williams said. "When it's gone, it's gone for good."
The veterans' group shows no sign of softening its stance as the government continues to weigh its options, with the broader Defence estate sale program still unfolding. For now, the fate of one of Sydney's most storied military sites remains unresolved.
