By Tess Ikonomou in Canberra

Veterans want the Albanese government to “tap the brakes” on a sale of Defence properties designed to raise money for the military and save on costs.

After mulling over a review for almost two years, Labor announced on Wednesday 67 sites will be fully or partly sold in a move described as the “largest Defence estate divestment in Australian history”.

The sale is expected to bring in $1.8 billion for the Defence budget and save taxpayers another $100 million a year in maintenance costs.

RSL Australia National president Peter Tinley said the organisation was ready to work with the government which needed to “take a breath”.

“These aren’t empty paddocks on a spreadsheet, they’re places where Australians learned to soldier, where bonds of mateship were forged, and where generations prepared to defend this nation,” he said.

“The government needs to tap the brakes here. Take a breath. Because once these sites are gone, they’re gone forever.

“Veterans right across the country have deep connections to these places and they deserve more than a press conference announcement.”

Defence properties across the nation come to about 3.8 million hectares.

The sites listed include historic military barracks, training depots , a repatriation centre for wounded troops returning from war and in the ACT the Fairbairn golf course.

Mr Tinley raised concerns about where cadets and reservists would train and maintain a community presence when key sites in the major cities were earmarked for sale.

“These places belong to all Australians, past, present and future,” he said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles acknowledged the plan had been opposed by some top military brass, with senior officers in the army particularly concerned.

The audit of the Defence estate found defence force personnel should be relocated away from a number of historic properties to newer military buildings.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the move was a win-win situation which would unlock land for housing development while saving taxpayers huge sums of money.

The list of properties to be sold off includes Sydney’s Victoria Barracks – a complex established in 1840 – and the heritage-listed site in Melbourne bearing the same name which played a crucial role in both world wars.

All sites earmarked for sale will be handed over in coming years to the Finance Department, which will be responsible for finding a buyer.

Government officials believe some properties will likely take years to sell.

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.