As the Federal Government moves to divest surplus Defence land across the country, including the historic Victoria Barracks precincts in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, the Australian Institute of Architects, while welcoming the announcement, has called for a carefully managed redevelopment process that protects heritage values and community interests.

According to the Institute, the Victoria Barracks sites hold deep cultural and architectural value, with the rare inner-city precincts having the scale to deliver enduring public benefit as they transition to new uses.

“Victoria Barracks are more than real estate assets, they are important parts of our civic story,” says Adam Haddow, National President, Australian Institute of Architects. “Any future redevelopment must protect heritage significance, respect Country, and deliver high-quality outcomes that Australians can be proud of.”

*Victoria Barracks Melbourne (Image source:* *https://www.defence.gov.au/about/locations-property/delivering-future-estate/victoria-barracks-melbourne*)

Divestment at this scale requires strong design governance from the earliest stages, including comprehensive heritage assessments, deep community consultation and independent design review processes to ensure the redevelopment meets high design standards and public expectations, the Institute emphasises.

“This is exactly why Australia needs a Federal Government Architect,” Haddow observes. “A Government Architect working at the national level would provide consistent, expert design leadership across Commonwealth projects and land transitions, ensuring heritage is safeguarded, public benefit is maximised, and design quality is upheld in the national interest.”

“When the Commonwealth reshapes city-defining precincts, it must do so with the same rigour we expect of any major public project,” he adds.

In Queensland, the Victoria Barracks Brisbane site has long played a role in the city, hosting Defence functions as well as the Army Museum of South East Queensland. The Institute believes its eventual redevelopment presents an opportunity to expand public access and create a lively urban precinct the community can truly celebrate.

*Victoria Barracks Brisbane (Image source:* *https://www.defence.gov.au/about/locations-property/delivering-future-estate/victoria-barracks-brisbane*)

“Selling a site like Victoria Barracks creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to give something back to the public realm,” says Caroline Stalker, Queensland Chapter President. “We want to see transparent processes, strong cultural and heritage safeguards, and design-led planning that prioritises streets, parks, culture and community uses alongside any housing or commercial components.”

The Institute has called on governments to embed best-practice design governance into any divestment process, arguing that careful planning can ensure these historic Defence sites become places valued by future generations.

Main image: Victoria Barracks Sydney (Image source: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/locations-property/delivering-future-estate/victoria-barracks-sydney)

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