Victoria Barracks

14 July 2024

Photos winter 2021; a big severe bluestone thing half hiding behind trees and creeper and shadows, not the best pics. Anyway, the front ‘A Block’ was built 1860-1867, designed by Gustav Joachimi of the Public Works Department in a very restrained Italianate style, with no decoration whatsoever, and multiple entrances for some reason. It housed the local British garrison until 1870, then various local militia and related bodies, then in 1901 it became the national HQ of the Australian Defence Force.

A new wing was added to the north in 1918 in pretty much matching style (pic 5), except set forward, and the set back join is in the stylised Georgian favoured by Victorian Commonwealth architect JS Murdoch. This wing contains a War Cabinet room where important decisions were made during both world wars. Defence HQ moved to Canberra in 1958, but still occupy the building, as well as the equally central and notable Victoria Barracks in Sydney.

This castley wall is sitting in some lawn behind the Victoria Barracks, and it’s called ‘the keep’, one of the few remnants of the high bluestone wall that once surrounded the barracks. It was built c1860, and though it’s a traditional defensive thing, complete with crenellations, it was more decorative than functional – after all the front building had 5 doors and lots of windows. Behind it is ‘G Block’, built the same time, very plain, possibly the actual barracks. Only old photo of the whole place I could find is an aerial from the 1940s, showing a lot more buildings than now, most of the wall already gone I think.

February 2026

Seems the Federal Government has decided that yes, it’s a good idea to sell off all surplus Defence Department properties, including the historic Victoria Barracks. [update: I’m told Defence doesn’t like much anyway]

It was built in many stages from the 1850s to the 1910s around a parade ground behind (now partly occupied by an 80s office block), all in bluestone. There was also a wall all the way round, but that’s mostly gone or replaced. There also the Art Deco Repat building, and the red brick 1940 offices behind.

There’s some carparking and lawn areas to the rear, which I suppose would be fine to sell off (more towers ?), but really it’s hard to see any redevelopment into offices or apartments being terribly viable or not destructive. Whats more the front wing includes the 1940s War Room, kept as a museum, so at least part of the building would have to be some kind of museum. I’s prefer actually that defence stay, maybe with a better office for themselves, maybe on a smaller site, or failing that a variety of public uses, like an extension of the VCA ?

Last 2 pics are Sydney’s Victoria Barracks, which have a huge parade ground, and even older buildings. Many pics the internet, or the Age, old pics of the various blocks @nationaltrustvic.