Augustin (Gus) Petersilka (1918–1994)
Augustin "Gus" Petersilka, who, through his championship of outdoor eating made himself a Canberra institution, has fought his last battle. Gus, 76, died in Woden Valley Hospital yesterday, after a five-month battle with cancer.
At the cafe where he fought his first battle to serve his customers at tables and chairs on the footpath, he used to have a sign: "Do it now. Tomorrow there may be a law against it." That reflected Gus's attitude to life and all he did to bring life, heart and a touch of his native Vienna to the nation's capital.
He saw Civic as Canberra's heart and, in his various ventures there, mostly centred on Garema Place, Gus did his best to make that a reality with his outdoor tables and chairs and often live jazz on Friday and Saturday nights.
In looking back over his life just before he died, Gus said that "coming to Canberra was the most wonderful thing that happened to me". To him it was also the place which gave him a fair go. And in 1978 the city recognised his contribution to the community by naming him Canberran of the Year.
His last concern was that his ideals and philosophies might be edited and put into book form. He is survived by his wife, Jenny, and a nephew.
A profile about Gus was published in the Canberra Times on October 2.
Original publication
Additional Resources
- Trove search
- describes Canberra as a large museum, Canberra Times, 30 December 1966, p 6
- stands for ACT advisory council, Canberra Times, 4 September 1970, p 10
- opposes ACT self-government, Canberra Times, 12 April 1973, p 2
- Canberran of the Year, Canberra Times, 11 March 1978, p 1
- stands for House of Assembly, Canberra Times, 24 May 1979, p 9
- defies notice to vacate café, Canberra Times, 20 March 1980, p 3
- on gay rights, Canberra Times, 27 March 1994, p 2
- profile, Canberra Times, 2 October 1994, p 21
- funeral, Canberra Times, 27 October 1994, p 5
Related Entries in NCB Sites
Citation details
John Farquharson, 'Petersilka, Augustin (Gus) (1918–1994)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/petersilka-augustin-gus-1555/text1617, accessed 16 April 2024.
Gus Petersilka, n.d.
Life Summary [details]
Birth
Death
23 October,
1994
(aged 76)
Woden, Canberra,
Australian Capital Territory,
Australia
Cause of Death
Cultural Heritage
Includes subject's nationality; their parents' nationality; the countries in which they spent a significant part of their childhood, and their self-identity.
Religious Influence
Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.