Defence offices lose their marble

Australia's Defence department is cracking up.

Marble panels are moving and cracking on the outside of two of the buildings that form part of the Defence Russell Offices complex in Canberra.

The Defence department has opened a tender, worth between $500,000 and $600,000, to install replacement Carrara marble panels.

The tender document says the marble is bowing and cracking due to ground movement and temperature changes.

Problems with the marble cladding were first discovered within a few years of their installation in the mid-1960s, according to a consultant's report.

Since then there have been two rounds of remedial work in 1974 and 1998.

Previous consultants have recommended granite or metal panels be installed, but their findings have been rejected because the marble has heritage value.

The tender closes on Monday.