Plans to sell off a small Balmoral military base have been canned by the federal government, with Defence Minister Richard Marles announcing on Monday the property will be split between military use and a protected heritage site.
The forested area will now be managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, a government agency who remediate former defence sites and open them to the public.
The Trust also manages Cockatoo Island and North Sydney’s Sub Base Platypus.
What happened: Defence Minister Richard Marles first announced the Australian government would sell a number of its defence properties in February. He claimed many defence sites were “vacant, decaying, underutilised and costing millions of dollars to maintain”.
Among the 67 sites proposed to be sold (or partially sold) was the HMAS Penguin naval base in Balmoral.
What is it: The HMAS Penguin is a 16-hectare base that maintains about 350 personnel and functions as a site for diver training and underwater medicine. The base's military facilities sit close to the shoreline, while the southern part of the property — adjacent to Balmoral Oval — hosts a large Angophora forest.
Unlikely alliances: A broad coalition formed against the sale. Independent MP Zali Steggall, Liberal Senator Jess Collins and Greens Leader David Shoebridge all spoke against the decision at a protest last month. Retired Major General Gus McLachlan and former Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett were also among the speakers.
What now: On Sunday, Richard Marles announced the government would be backing away from its plans to auction off six of the 67 proposed sites. These included three Victorian sites, part of the HMAS Penguin base, and the Victoria Barracks in Paddington. The Stokes Hill Fuel Installation, in the Northern Territory, will be returned to the Larrakia people.