Canberra was to have its own 20th century gondolier, Mr Fernando Gregolin of Downer, reported The Canberra Times, 56 years ago.
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Mr Gregolin, 51, a painter by trade, was happy to help to make a gondola on Lake Burley Griffin a feature. Mr Gregolin and the owner of a gondola, Mr R. P. Greenish, discussed plans for the gondola, which was crated in Melbourne, to be brought to Canberra as soon as suitable lakeside shelter was found.
In Venice, gondolas took the place of taxis and cars and canals took the place of streets.
To cross the street, pedestrians either walked 500 yards or took a gondola ride across for a small fee of one lira.
For 15 liras, couples could hire a gondola with a singing gondolier, to serenade them into the evening.
Summer in Venice was wonderful, but winter was cold and foggy, Mr Gregolin said.
Meanwhile, in NSW special constable police were given the same powers with the ACT.
The status would remove the long standing anomaly in which ACT traffic patrols had often had to watch a NSW traffic offender get away across the border.
