In episode two of Queers Past, your host Zev takes you on a journey through Canberra’s inner city to explore what life was like for gay and bisexual men and women from the 1930s to the 1970s—with a dash of the 1980s for extra context. This episode focuses on two iconic locations: the Gorman Arts Centre (formerly Hostel No. 3) and the Mercure (once known as the Hotel Ainslie).

Originally built in the 1920s to house low-income public servants, these spaces became unexpected backdrops for moments of connection, community, and resilience in the early chapters of Canberra’s queer story. Along the way, Zev provides a brief overview of the national and global events that shaped LGBTQIA+ lives during this time.

Visit our website at sheshapeshistory.com.au/podcast for transcripts and references, and follow us on social media @queerspast for behind-the-scenes content and photos of everything we uncovered in the archives! Want to visit these sites in person, hear the many stories that didn't make the cut, and meet Zev? Book into our Pride in the Capital tour, running every Saturday afternoon (or by request for private tours) at sheshapeshistory.com.au/canberra-walking-tours/queertour.

Queers Past is proudly supported by funding from the ACT Government's Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs as part of the Capital of Equality Grants Program.

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