MONTE CARLO—HAL Holding–parent of the about-to-be-merged GrandVision and Pearle Europe optical chains as well as other international eyewear retailers–announced late last week it plans to sell its 60 optical stores in Australia to Luxottica Group’s (NYSE: LUX) retail subsidiary there.

HAL purchased the Optifashion Group of Australian stores--operating under names such as Just Spectacles, Optidonist and AV Simon--from Safilo Group last December. The acquisition of Safilo’s Optifashion subsidiary was part of the €13.7 million sale of Safilo’s “non-core retail activity” to HAL in advance of HAL’s investment in Safilo in February of this year.

According to HAL, the Optifashion group, headquartered in New South Wales, generates annual sales of about €20 million.

Financial details of the transaction with Luxottica’s Australian unit, Luxottica Retail Australia, were not disclosed. The sale must undergo review by relevant antitrust authorities in Australia including the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, which began its review this week and is expected to announce its findings in mid-October.

The acquisition is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to HAL.

Luxottica Retail Australia currently operates more than 500 optical stores in that country, under brands such as OPSM, Laubman & Pank and Budget Eyewear.