After 180 years of military history, an inner-Sydney military precinct may be on the brink of reinvention. The City of Sydney has opened a public consultation to consider what the future may hold for Victoria Barracks at Oxford Street. The rare 15ha site 3km from the Sydney CBD could potentially be turned over to housing, green space and/or cultural activities, the city says. It is tipped to be Australia’s answer to the adaptive reuse of the Reuilly Barracks in France, a 17th-century barracks rebuilt in 1847.  It was acquired by the City of Paris from the French government in 2012 and ownership transferred to Paris Habitat, a major French social housing agency.  ▲ Reuilly Barracks in Paris was adaptively reused to create 600 apartments in the 12th arrondissement. The renewal was completed in 2020, creating a mixed-use neighbourhood of 600 social, affordable and rent-controlled apartments, as well as shops, offices and community spaces. Victoria Barracks is near the Allianz Stadium, Moore Park and the Sydney Cricket Ground, and surrounded by predominantly medium and high-density buildings.  The potential for development of the site opened up after a 2023 federal government audit of Australian Defence Force land, which assessed whether it met military needs.  While the report itself was not released, the site was deemed no longer required for ADF purposes, according to the City of Sydney, although it is currently still an active military site with many of its original buildings in use.  The city says a key consideration was how to balance the ongoing maintenance of historic buildings that will require “sustainable funding” from the government and “appropriate, compatible commercial uses”.  ▲ Victoria Barracks at Paddington has been a part of Sydney for 180 years. The public consultation will help the council develop guiding principles about how the site could be used if it is divested by the ADF, the city says.  A draft “vision” is to be reported to the council by the end of this year.  Early feedback from the public has suggested that it could be used for high-density and infill housing, outdoor community events, a heritage museum and permanent veteran accommodation. The colonial-era military barracks is on traditional land of the Gadigal people and the first building was erected in 1841.  ▲ Victoria Barracks perimeter wall in 1871. Source: Mitchell Library. It was then a remote site along South Head Road, now Oxford Street, and built using convict labour and skilled tradespeople using cement made from burnt seashells taken from Rushcutters Bay.  British troops were stationed there until 1870, when the NSW artillery regiment moved in and new buildings were added.  The city has highlighted examples of the repurposing of former defence and hospital heritage assets as it garners opinions about the future of the barracks.  These include the reuse of the 20ha Rydalmere Psychiatric Hospital, acquired by the Western Sydney council from the state in 1995 and where a new Indigenous Centre of Excellence is planned.  And in Brisbane, the former Bulimba Barracks site is being redeveloped into a lifestyle precinct by billionaire John Lin’s Shayher Group after plans for retail and hospitality uses were approved this year. While the end may be nigh for the army occupation of the Victoria Barracks, elsewhere defence spending is proving a boon to developers.  Kapitol Group has signalled its intention to go after more defence projects after delivering Hanwha Defence Australia’s $170-million armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence in Victoria .  And in Adelaide, the first stage of a $200-million defence project has completed, with BESIX Watpac delivering the framework for a defence aircraft modification facility in May of this year.
