One hundred years ago today Melbourne's Age reported some futuristic imaginings of Canberra's lake and even of a little light rail for Canberra (but the latter perhaps only for the toffs of federal Parliament).
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"THE FEDERAL CAPITAL. POSITION OF RAILWAY AND LAKES."
The Federal Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works took evidence on Monday in regard to the city railway and ornamental dams at Canberra. John Sulman, president of the New South Wales Town Planning Association, said he favoured lakes as a valuable asset to a city, both for pleasure and appearance, and also as a modifying factor in the climate.
"He favoured the formal plan for the central lake, because it formed part of a greater architectural scheme in the centre of the city. He expressed the opinion that the lakes at the upper and lower ends should preferably take the natural form they would assume without altering the contour of those lakes. He favoured a storage reservoir toward the source of the Molonglo River, so as to make good any deficiency in dry seasons.
"The witness also favoured as close a connection as possible between the Parliamentary building and the railway, providing the line did not cause any nuisance by noise or unsightly embankments. He admitted that the convenience of legislators could be met by electric trams or motor cars, and that it might be better to keep the railway on the border of the city."
