The photograph of Belconnen couple Julie Maynard and Frances Bodel celebrating with a kiss in the euphoric public gallery of the assembly appeared on the front of The Canberra Times the next day, on October 23, 2013.

"It was pretty exciting at the time," Frances said. "I think we first found out waking up in the morning and going on Facebook and everyone was pretty excited.

"Mum and dad were a little bit, 'Oh my gosh, the front cover'. It was all out there. But everyone was really great and supportive and it was nice to get that issue on the front page and in people's minds as well."

The poster outside newsagents which featured the photograph is now framed and sits above their bed.

"That day was a pretty momentous day and it was such an exciting day and to be part of it was just a wonderful thing," Julie said.

They said the kiss was just a spontaneous act of joy at the time.

"You rarely see something like that on the front cover of a newspaper," Julie said.

"And I think it's important that it is seen and it's seen to be normal, because it's our normal. I kiss Fran, every day, you know?

"If you normalise gay relationships, then there shouldn't be a problem with it comes to marriage equality and so on."

The High Court struck down the marriage equality laws soon after, on December 12, 2013.

Julie and Frances married in Vietnam in June 2015 after that country abolished a ban on same-sex marriages.

The issue of gay marriage ignited again last month during the Australian federal election campaign, with the Coalition's plans to hold a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

"I'm hoping soon one day we will actually be able to get married here in Australia, fingers crossed," Julie said.

"Our families know how happy we are and they would absolutely love to come to our wedding."

The political too-ing and fro-ing over the issue remained frustrating.

"We're over it," Frances said. "We want to book our wedding."

Since their appearance on the front page, both women have chased other dreams.

Frances, who works for Ginger Catering at the arboretum, was, at the age of 45, close to finishing her chef's apprenticeship.

"I was an old apprentice but I've wanted to be a chef since I was a little kid and a couple of years ago finally decided to do it," she said.

"Now I'm flogging myself for no money whatsoever but it's something I've always wanted to do."

Julie left the federal public service to work for a not-for-profit organisation, the National Youth Science Forum, as the communications manager. She also studies a bachelor of communications in public relations at the University of Canberra.

There was a sense of life is too short not to live it authentically.

"You get to a certain point in your life and you think, 'I've done what I've been told to do'. Growing up, you're told to do certain things and the turning point for me was when I turned 40 and thought, 'No, I've got to start doing things for myself'," Julie said.

"And on the lesbian side, not being worried about talking about who I am and being proud of it, which I am."