There will be more than a few people who remember it as a site for Canberra's early sheep farms, the racecourse and golf course, The Canberra Times' article said.

"It was a bit of a dump really," said Sir John Overall. He remembered it well - he was the National Capital Development commissioner during the lake's formative years.

"Canberra was a public service town with no land value and no life," he said.

Sir John took a major role in planning and coordinating the lake - his commission had three years to do it with a budget of £3 million. And there was no lack of opposition to the lake's creation.

"Some of the parliamentarians doubted it would ever fill up with water. They said there was a hole at the bottom which connected up with Lake George, and the water would be sucked away," he said.

The process of filling the lake was, in fact, a protracted business.

"There was a drought at the time so it took the better part of eight months," he said.

Yet the lake always had one staunch supporter in then-prime minister Sir Robert Menzies. He had a great interest in seeing through Walter Burley Griffin's original ideas and beautifying the city for his daughter. He made sure Treasury came up with the initial £1 million after it was mysteriously struck out during his absence, and officially opened the lake in 1964. The effect was immediate.

"It really gave a purpose and meaning for the city," Sir John said.

"Land values shot up so much that the lake more than paid for itself."

More than that, Sir John said it gave residents a feeling of confidence and esteem.

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