Gorman House, Canberra

On this page

Construction commenced on the hostel known to early Canberra as Gorman House in 1924. Originally known as 'Hostel No. 3', or the 'Hotel Ainslie', the hostel was renamed 'Gorman House' in 1927, after Clarence Gorman, an early Federal Capital Commissioner, who had died suddenly earlier that year. Gorman House was designed primarily to accommodate lower paid public servants.



A well-known landmark of inner Canberra, Gorman House operated as a hostel until the 1970s. It has subsequently become a popular centre for theatre and the creative arts.

The National Archives office in Canberra holds a considerable range of records including files, photographs, architectural plans and drawings which relate to the design, construction and subsequent maintenance of Gorman House. Samples of these are listed below.

Correspondence files
Title or description of record Date range Series, item number
Hostel for lower paid officials – Gorman House, Ainslie Avenue 1923–24 A414, 12 part 3
Gorman House 1925–29 CT86/1, 51
Gorman House – tenders for additions to superstructure 1927 A6269, E1/27/2508
Proposed tennis courts at Gorman House 1930–31 A430, G116
Gorman House – dogs – housing of 1933 A1, 1933/5186

Photographs
Title or description of record Date range Series, item number
Mildenhall photographs of early Canberra 1913–45 A3560
Gorman House – almost complete 1926 A3560, 207
Part of Gorman House under construction 1926 A3560, 208
Part of Gorman House under construction 1926 A3560, 209
Part of Gorman House under construction 1926 A3560, 210
Gorman House – front gardens 1926 A3560, 211
Gorman House – dining room 1926 A3560, 223
Gorman House kitchen 1926 A3560, 224
Dining room 1926 A3560, 1618
View from City Hill up Ainslie Avenue showing Gorman House and Braddon area 1926 A3560, 2108
View from City Hill up Ainslie Avenue showing Gorman House and Braddon area 1926 A3560, 2115
Civic Centre and Gorman House from Mt Ainslie 1926 A3560, 2634
Reid, Gorman House and Hotel Ainslie from Civic Centre 1928 A3560, 3257
Gorman House from the north 1929 A3560, 5110

Architectural plans & drawings
Title or description of record Date range Series, item number
Aperture cards for ACT architectural plans and drawings 1921–59 A9663
Gorman House – ground floor plan undated A9663, AF124
Gorman House – Centre Administration block – pavilion for single and married couples undated A9663, A608A
Gorman House – elevations and sections undated A9663, A669
Gorman House – additions to ground floor –west and north elevations undated A9663, 9991
Gorman House – plan of alterations and additions to kitchen undated A9663, 21904
Gorman House – alterations and renovations to the kitchen undated A9663, 22789

Other plans of Gorman House
Title or description of record Date range Series number
Amended designs for pavilion 4, Hostel No.3 (AC592) 1925–31 A2503, folder 3
Amended design for kitchen block, Hostel No. 3 (AC596) 1925–31 A2503, folder 3
Gorman House – ground floor plan 1925–30 A2505, AF124
1 ½ inch scale detail of fireplace – sitting room, Pavilion No 1. Hostel No 3 1926–30 A2504, AD34