Bob Hawke's connection with Canberra began long before his time as prime minister, with a short stint at the Australian National University from 1956 to 1957, where he was studying a PhD.

Historian Jill Waterhouse says Hawke made a name for himself as the student representative to the college council; it was his larrikin ways that made a lasting impact on the memories of his fellow students.

On a night in February 1957, when the master was away, Hawke and a group of other students stormed up and down the stairs at University House, where unmarried PhD students would live, and also went for a swim in the ornamental pond, home to some goldfish. The group was in high spirits, in both senses of the word, Dr Waterhouse said.

The racket disturbed a visiting conference of bishops, "who were to be impressed," Dr Waterhouse said.

After the incident he was banned from University House and asked to leave the College Council.

"Although the authorities were dismayed by his behaviour, his fellow students applauded the incident," she said.

At the time the Australian National University was young, and without the history of notorious student escapades that existed at Sydney or Melbourne, so it gave the students something to talk about.

After Hawke became prime minister in 1983, he made Canberra his home in a way few prime ministers after him have.

Susan Ryan, Minister for Women and senator for the ACT under Bob Hawke, remembers how he liked living in the capital and liked living at The Lodge.

"He entertained at The Lodge a lot," she remembers, describing how Hazel had a piano made especially for the residence, where she would play and her husband would sing at the functions they held.

"He did make Canberra his home to a very large extent," she said, describing how Hawke took an interest in local matters and how the Australian National University was going.

His love of sport formed a big part of his connection to Canberra, regularly playing golf whenever he could get away from work, as well as playing cricket at Manuka Oval, as well as supporting the Canberra Raiders.

Former press secretary Geoff Walsh said Hawke was a true Canberra supporter, and not only because he chose to live here during his prime ministership.

"He was a defender of the national capital, both intrinsically in the sense of it being the seat of government for the whole country, but also in terms of its functionality and utility," he said.

"People would sometimes be critical of Canberra, and he, in his ultra-logical way, would say, well, if you look at the quality of policymaking that comes out of Canberra, you couldn't complain about how well the nation is being served, in terms of economic prosperity, national security, the conduct of our international relations, all of which were essentially run - to a large degree - out of the Canberra bureaucracy."

The first chief minister of the ACT, Rosemary Follett, remembers how unusual it was for Hawke to take Canberra seriously. She remembers how he helped Labor's campaign efforts at that first territory election.

"That connection was real and really endeared him to a great many people," Dr Follett said.

Dr Follett remembers Hawke as a wonderful host, having attended celebrations for the Raiders at the Lodge.

Former journalist Dennis Grant worked in the press gallery throughout Hawke's time as prime minister, and recalls Christmas drinks for the press gallery at The Lodge being far less formal than under other prime ministers.

"They lasted until the early hours of the morning - Hazel would get on the piano and Hawke would sing," he said.

Another former press gallery journalist, Peter Logue, remembers regular singalongs with Hawke and his family.

"My personal memory, because I was a musician and a journalist, was that the whole clan embraced music," he said.

"We started taking instruments on VIP planes when we travelled, and Hawke and Hazel just loved singalongs at the end of long trips.

"When you got him in the right key, he was a pretty good singer - a very loud voice."

He says these often went on all night, and all during the years when Hawke was a teetotaller.

Former journalist Stephen Mills was appointed as Hawke's first full-time speechwriter in 1986.

"It was the best job I have ever had," Mr Mills, who lives in Kingston, said.

"We kind of suspected at the time that he was a very good prime minister. The subsequent 30 years have demonstrated that he was a great prime minister."

Mr Mills said Hawke's larrikin nature disguised a sharp intellect and a capacity to focus intensely on the task at hand. He vividly recalls sitting in Hawke's office as the eagle-eyed prime minister combed through one of his draft speeches.

"I would take him a draft and he just had this intense focus on it," he said.

"For those minutes when you are sitting in the room, the doors closed and he is looking at your document - there is nothing you can do.

"God help you if had an error in there."

He said Hawke and wife Blanche d'Alpuget attended his 50th birthday, but the pair were not in regular contact.

It still hit him hard when he heard the news on Thursday night.

"I found myself sobbing," Mr Mills said.

"And I'll say this, Bob Hawke showed that it was OK for men to cry.

"When Hawke spoke about Tiananmen Square ... or his daughter's drug addiction or when he lost office to Paul Keating - he cried a number of times. At the time, it was seen as inappropriate for a prime minister to cry in public."

"It was seen as weak, as you're too emotional or you're not exercising judgment. No, Bob showed that it was perfectly all right."