Seagull fares better than possum after brolly rescue from Lake Burley Griffin

In the midst of heavy rain and a looming thunderstorm, Narooma resident Jason Snell was called on to save a stranded seagull. Walking near the lake with partner Erin Henry, he found the struggling bird near the water's edge about 5pm.

''We were waiting to see if the open-air cinema was going to go ahead and they told us it would be another half an hour, so we went for a walk along the waterfront,'' he said. ''I saw the seagull in the water and, when we came back later, he was washed up in near the wall.''

Some quick thinking ensued.

''I tried to reach down but couldn't get to him, so I went back to the car and grabbed an umbrella,'' Mr Snell said.

Carefully lowering the umbrella, he scooped the bird to lift it to safety.

''He flapped a bit but went along with it, so we brought him up to the footpath and got him out of the way of any pushbikes,'' Mr Snell said.

Talking down his efforts, Mr Snell said almost anyone would have done the same thing.

''He looked like he was in a bit of strife and probably wouldn't have survived if he was left there, so I thought I better do the right thing,'' he said. ''I think he was just exhausted and probably got too wet, so couldn't get up over the wall.''

The rescue came just minutes after another man climbed into the lake to retrieve a possum.

The man - who asked not to be named - said the animal died shortly after being rescued.

Disappointed crowds were sent home from Commonwealth Park after the open-air cinema screening had to be abandoned in heavy rain.