Australia is on the cusp of losing irreplaceable pieces of its national story places that hold military, civic and community heritage that can’t be rebuilt once sold off.

In February 2026, the Australian Government confirmed it will proceed with a major Defence estate divestment program following an independent Defence Estate Audit. The Government agreed to wholly divest 64 sites, partially divest 3, and retain 1 with divestments to be managed by the Department of Finance and proceeds reinvested into Defence priorities. (Defence Ministers) The Government itself acknowledges that some of these sites are historically significant and carry “important meaning to current and former Defence personnel,” and says heritage values and public access will be preserved during divestment. (Defence Ministers) Media reports have identified 67 sites proposed for full or partial sale, raising up to $1.8 billion, including high-profile historic sites such as Victoria Barracks. (ABC News)

We recognise Defence must modernise. But modernisation must not mean a rushed sell-off that permanently removes historic sites from public hands, reduces community access, or erodes heritage protections.

The Commonwealth already has clear rules for property disposals. The Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy says agencies must consider Indigenous, environmental and heritage matters when determining whether property is suitable for disposal. (Department of Finance) The Commonwealth Property Disposal Guide states disposals must comply with the EPBC Act, that agencies must identify heritage impacts through due diligence, and that agencies have legislative responsibilities to assess and protect Commonwealth Heritage values, including in relation to places that are sold or leased. (Department of Finance)

This matters not only for Defence sites, but also for the nation’s most significant civic and vice-regal places. The Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General notes that Government House (Yarralumla) and Admiralty House (Kirribilli) are on the Commonwealth Heritage List, and are managed under formal heritage obligations. (Governor-General of Australia) Australians deserve explicit, enforceable guarantees that such precincts and other historic government places will remain protected and in the public interest.

We call on the Australian Government to:

Pause any sale/lease of historically significant Defence sites and other nationally important public precincts until independent heritage assessments and remediation plans are completed and published. (Department of Finance)
Publish a full, site-by-site public register showing: heritage status (including Commonwealth/State heritage listings), contamination/remediation issues, and proposed future use and access arrangements. (Department of Finance)
Guarantee meaningful consultation with veterans, Traditional Owners, local councils and communities before any binding sale decision, with transparent responses to submissions. (Department of Finance)
Ensure any divestment of heritage places includes binding protections (heritage covenants, conservation management plans, and enforceable public access commitments where security permits). (Department of Finance)
Provide a clear policy commitment that vice-regal and nationally significant civic precincts will not be sold off or compromised consistent with their Commonwealth Heritage status and heritage strategy obligations. (Governor-General of Australia)
Australia’s historic sites are not “surplus.” They are living places of memory where Australians served, trained, grieved, celebrated, and built public life. Once sold, we may never get them back.

Sign this petition to protect Australia’s military and civic heritage, and to ensure any future decisions are made carefully, transparently, and in the public interest.