Government House

Government House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the former British Empire. When Queen Elizabeth II or a member of the Royal Family visits a Commonwealth nation, they will often stay at Government House, which is reflected in the Court Circular.

It serves as the venue for the Governor's official business, as well as the many receptions and functions hosted by the occupant.

As the office of the Governor, Government House is sometimes used as a metaphor to refer to the Government or the Governor.

1 Official residences worldwide
2 Government Houses outside the Commonwealth
3 See also
4 Categories

Official residences worldwide

Australia

Government House, Canberra is the residence of the Governor-General of Australia.

It is set in 530,000 square metres of grounds at "Yarralumla", which was a large farm on which much of present-day central Canberra now sits. The house itself is the former main house on the property, though it has been extended several times.

The Governor-General also has a house in Sydney, Admiralty House.

Official Link: Governor-General of Australia

Government House, Melbourne is the residence of the Governor of Victoria. It is set between the Royal Botanical Gardens and King's Domain in Melbourne.

Government House, Perth is the residence of the Governor of Western Australia. It is between the Supreme Court Gardens and the Perth Concert Hall, off St Georges Terrace in central Perth.

Government House, Queensland is the residence of the Governor of Queensland. It consists of the mansion known as Fernberg, several auxiliary buildings and 14 hectares of gardens and bushland in the Brisbane suburb of Paddington.

Government House, Hobart, is the residence of the Governor of Tasmania. It is an elegant neo-gothic sandstone mansion, completed in 1857 in 15 hectares of gardens in a commanding position on the shores of the River Derwent.

Government House, Sydney is the home to civic receptions and functions at which the Governor presides, bit it is not the residence of the Governor of New South Wales.

Government House, Darwin is the residence of the Administrator of the Northern Territory.

Government House, Adelaide is the residence of the Governor of South Australia.

Canada

In addition, several buildings were formerly Government Houses which have since been demolished, sold, or redesignated. These include:

Government House (Quebec) - Constructed at Boid-de-Coulanges Park, bought by the Province of Quebec as the residence of the Lieutenant Governor
Government House (Alberta) - opened on October 7, 1913 and closed in 1938. A second residence was opened in 1950 and demolished in 2004. A new Government House is under consideration (see here)
Government House (Battleford) - built in 1877 and destroyed by fire in 2003. Served as the seat of the Northwest Territories from 1878 to 1883.
Government House (Ontario) - the first Government House was built in Toronto in 1868. It was torn down in 1912 and a new Government House was built at Chorley Park. It was sold off in 1938 and the Lieutenant-Governor now has an official suite (non-residential) in Ontario Legislature, Queen's Park.

However, the official residences of the Governor General of Canada are Rideau Hall in Ottawa and La Citadelle in Quebec City.

Fiji

Government House, Suva is located on Victoria Parade, Suva. It is the home of the President of Fiji and was built in 1928 to replace the original building - the residence of the colonial governor - which burnt to the ground after being struck by lightning in 1921.

Hong Kong

Government House, Hong Kong is located on Government Hill, Central, on Hong Kong Island. It was home to the British Governors of Hong Kong until 1997, and has been used as a place for formal occasions such as the reception of a distinguished guest or ceremonies since the 1997 handover. However, when Donald Tsang took over the office of Chief Executive of Hong Kong, he decided to re-occupy it as an official residence and office. He moved there at the end of January 2006.

Official Link: Government House

Isle of Man/Ellan Vannin

Government House, Governor's Road, Onchan is the official residence of the Lord of Mann H.M. Queen Elizabeth II in the Isle of Man or Ellan Vannin. It is also the home of the Lieutenant Governor Vice Admiral Sir Paul Haddacks, Her Majesty's reperesentitive in the Island.

Jersey

The public are invited to Government House in Jersey for the annual Queen's Birthday reception

Government House in St. Saviour is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey.

New Zealand

Government House, Wellington is the primary residence of the Governor-General of New Zealand. There is a second house in Auckland, Government House, Auckland.

Official Link: Governor-General of New Zealand