Page 3771 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 8 November 1994
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DEATH OF MR GUS PETERSILKA
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer): Madam Speaker, I move:
That the Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of Mr Gus Petersilka, who made a valuable contribution to the Canberra community, and tenders its profound sympathy to his wife in her bereavement.
It was with sadness that Canberrans learnt of the death of Mr Augustin Petersilka, better known to many of us as Gus. He was 76 years of age. It would be true to say that he has been a Canberra institution for the past 30 years.
Gus migrated to Australia from Austria in 1951, and came to Canberra in 1962. His first job in Canberra was with Ingrams hardware business as a storeman. He then moved on to McEwans hardware store in Kingston. It was at about this time that Canberra was developing rapidly in the Manuka area, and Thetis Court was being built. Gus saw the potential for a Viennese-style coffee house in this new building; and, within three months of opening his cafe, it was one of the most popular spots in town. This popularity was due, in part, to the cafe being Canberra's only late night drop-in place where people could sit and have a cup of coffee, read a magazine or just have a chat. Due to the popularity of the cafe, Gus moved on to the Balcony Room of the newly opened Canberra Theatre Centre, and he turned the cafe into a dance restaurant. Gus Petersilka made his mark on Canberra with cafes that were open after normal hours and were renowned for their European ambience. It was in this context that he was made Canberran of the Year in 1978 for his contribution to the community.
At the end of 1978 Gus moved to Queanbeyan, where he converted the old Byrnes Mill into an old-fashioned restaurant. But in 1979 he was back in Canberra, and he opened the well-known Gus's coffee shop in Bunda Street - Canberra's first sidewalk cafe. He then took a well-earned break and went to Vienna in 1985. When he returned to Canberra in 1986 he opened another coffee shop called Noshes, in Garema Place; and in 1991 he moved on to open Cafe Augustin, which he saw as his last cafe venture.
Gus's experience with the Nazis in Europe led him to promise that he would always speak up for what he believed in, and he did just that. He became widely known for his public expression of political and social views in newspaper letters and advertisements. Gus was renowned for his outside cafe tables, and he will certainly be remembered for the valuable contribution that he made to the quality of life in Canberra. He developed something of a reputation as the nemesis of public servants who administered the laws controlling trading on the footpath and illegal structures.
Madam Speaker, Mr Petersilka is survived by his wife, Jenny, and a nephew. I am sure that all members will join with me in extending our sympathy to Mr Petersilka's family and friends and in acknowledging his contribution to the social and cultural life of the Canberra community.
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