SPOTLIGHT: Unlocking Australia's Defence estate through divestment, with Stantec Australia

Australia's plan to divest 68 surplus Defence sites presents an opportunity to reduce estate costs while creating new housing, industrial, community, and environmental outcomes, according to Stantec Australia's Tony Rogers, Leigh McDonald, and Nick Glasson.

The Defence estate spans around 3.5 million hectares, with the government identifying sites that are underutilised or surplus to future Defence requirements.

The divestment program is not simply about raising money through land sales. Instead, it is intended to reduce the cost of maintaining an ageing and increasingly complex estate, while consolidating Defence functions into more suitable and modern facilities.

However, each site presents different challenges, including contamination, PFAS, unexploded ordnance, heritage protections, environmental constraints, infrastructure requirements, and planning considerations.

The future use of each site will therefore need to reflect its local context. Potential outcomes could include housing, commercial, and industrial development, community infrastructure, environmental restoration, or continued use for the defence industry.

Early engagement between Defence, government, industry, developers, and local communities will be critical to identifying viable outcomes and ensuring remediation and infrastructure requirements align with the eventual use of each site.

Ultimately, a successful transition will not simply be measured by the highest sale price, but by whether former Defence land can deliver sustainable long-term value while protecting Defence capability, managing environmental and heritage risks, and contributing to surrounding communities.

Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Spotlight team