CANBERRA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government on Wednesday announced plans to sell up to 67 historic defense sites in order to cut maintenance costs and fund upgrades of essential bases.

In this file photo dated July 28, 2021, an Australian flag flutters as a man walks on a street in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Xinhua)

Minister for Defense and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said that the government has agreed or agreed in principle to all 20 recommendations of an audit of estates owned by the Department of Defense.

The independent audit, which was commissioned in 2023, found that many defense facilities were no longer required and some had already deteriorated beyond economical repair.

It identified 68 sites for divestment. Marles said on Wednesday that 64 of those would be wholly divested, with three to be partially divested and one to be retained in full.

The audit found that selling the sites would generate up to 3 billion Australian dollars (about 2.1 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue and save up to 100 million Australian dollars every year in maintenance costs.

It said that the government would incur up to 1.2 billion Australian dollars in costs as it sells the sites, relocates staff and remediates contamination.

Marles said at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra that it would be the most significant reform to the defense estate in Australian history and that all revenue from the sales would be reinvested in the National Defense Strategy priorities, including ongoing upgrades of northern bases.

Of the 68 sites identified for divestment, 10 are currently vacant and another 14 are used only occasionally. The only site that the government has chosen to retain is a navy diving school in northern Sydney.